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House backs bill requiring routine prenatal tests for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea; patient may opt out
Summary
The House passed a bill requiring routine prenatal screening for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea at set prenatal touchpoints unless a patient declines; the bill cleared the chamber after a friendly amendment to focus responsibility with clinicians rather than hospitals.
The House on Tuesday passed Senate Bill 174, which requires health care providers offering routine prenatal care to include screenings for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea at standard points in pregnancy unless a pregnant patient opts out.
Representative C. Travis, carrying the bill in the House, said routine testing at the first and third trimesters and at delivery can catch infections early and protect both mother and infant. Representative Berault offered a floor amendment that removed a hospital‑level requirement and kept responsibility with clinicians providing prenatal care; the House adopted the amendment without objection.
Travis described the measure as preserving patient choice: “the mother does have the option to not do the screening,” he said on the floor. The House passed the bill by recorded vote, 98 ayes and 0 nays.
Supporters said the additional screenings aim to reduce maternal and neonatal infections through earlier detection and treatment. The bill’s text, as amended, specifies testing timing and allows patients to decline testing per established informed‑consent practices.
