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Senate approves amendments to require newborn hearing screening statewide
Summary
Senate advanced SB 40, which would require newborn hearing screening for nearly all births, add a small‑hospital phase-in and create a review committee; sponsor said about 90% of births already get screening and amendments clarify notification procedures to ensure parents are informed first.
The Utah Senate on Feb. 3 advanced Senate Bill 40, a measure to require newborn hearing screening and create an advisory board to keep screening standards current. Sponsor Senator Craig Peterson said the technology is widely available and that approximately 90% of births in Utah already receive newborn hearing screening.
Peterson described amendments to accommodate small hospitals that deliver fewer than 100 babies and to ensure parents receive a single, clear notification if testing identifies a possible problem. He recounted a hospital incident in which a nurse reportedly told a mother, “We just ran some tests on your baby. Looks like the little guy’s deaf,” then walked off, and said the bill aims to prevent such poor notification practices and to ensure follow-up testing and consistent standards established through administrative rulemaking and an expert advisory panel.
Questions on the floor addressed who would notify parents first and how testing would be handled for home births; Peterson said hospitals or the performing clinician would ordinarily notify parents and the Department of Health would ensure coverage for small or home births using mobile screening and administrative rules. The adopted amendments clarify notification responsibilities and timing. On the vote the chair reported a majority in favor and the bill was placed on the third-reading calendar.
