Tennessee House approves additional syphilis screenings for pregnancy after debate over mandate and access

The Tennessee House of Representatives on third and final consideration approved Senate Bill 1283, a measure that adds an additional syphilis screening between the 28th and 32nd week of gestation and at the time of delivery, after a floor debate about whether the bill creates a mandatory test and how it would affect patients with limited access to care.

Sponsor Representative Martin, the bill’s floor sponsor, said the measure updates testing frequency to address a rise in congenital syphilis in Tennessee. “This bill updates the frequency of Tennessee testing requirements, and it adds an additional syphilis screening between the 28th and 32nd week of gestation, as well as at the time of delivery,” Martin said on the House floor, citing data that led sponsors to seek later testing during pregnancy.

The bill’s nut graf: supporters said SB 1283 is intended to identify infections acquired later in pregnancy so providers can treat pregnant people and reduce the risk of adverse birth outcomes, while critics pressed for clarity about whether the statute would require tests and what consequences, if any, would follow for patients or providers who do not obtain testing.

Floor debate…