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Committee reviews health and DHS rules: water fee hike, TB testing guidance, newborn-screening and deaf‑mental‑health rules
Summary
The committee reviewed several agency rules: a Department of Health rule to increase the public water service fee by $0.10 per meter per month to fund water-quality testing; a DOH rule to end routine annual TB testing for low‑risk groups following CDC guidance; and DHS rules implementing newborn screening changes and deaf‑mental‑health certification. Members asked for impacts and data.
Little Rock — The Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee reviewed a set of administrative rules from the Arkansas Department of Health and the Department of Human Services.
Water fee: Laura Shue, DOH general counsel, presented a rule (Exhibit N) that would increase the public water system service fee by $0.10 per water meter per month and update references to two American Water Works Association disinfection standards. Jeff Stone of DOH’s drinking‑water program explained that the 10¢ increase equates to about $1.20 per household per year and is intended to replenish purchasing power lost to inflation, to fund chemical analysis and quality assurance, and to help meet upcoming sampling obligations for lead, copper and unregulated contaminants. Committee members asked for the analysis behind the 10¢ figure; DOH said it brings the program roughly back to its original purchasing power and covers additional federal sampling costs.
Tuberculosis testing: DOH infectious‑disease leadership brought a rule aligning state practice with the Centers for Disease Control recommendation to remove routine annual TB testing after a baseline in low‑risk groups. Dr. Naveen Patil said incidence among low‑risk health‑care workers is negligible and routine testing yields false positives; the rule will save hospitals, jails and correctional facilities millions in testing costs while focusing active testing on high‑risk groups.
Other DHS rules: DHS officials presented rules implementing session laws to add spinal muscular atrophy to mandatory newborn metabolic screening (act implementing newborn tests) and to create a certification process for mental‑health professionals serving people who are deaf (Act 567). DHS said the rules merely implement statutory language and do not expand authority. The committee had no objections and allowed the rules to stand reviewed.
Committee members requested copies of supporting analyses for the water‑fee increase and asked DOH and DHS to share the statutory citations and any budget impacts with staff. All rules were left under review for any additional follow‑up the committee might request.
