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State Board of Health pauses newborn‑screening policy work and technical advisory committees for 12 months amid funding shortfall
Summary
Citing a $5.1 million shortfall in the Newborn Screening Program and broader FPHS funding gaps, the Board voted to deny rulemaking petitions and pause convening Technical Advisory Committees for 12 months beginning July 1, 2026; the motion passed with one dissent and two abstentions.
The Washington State Board of Health on April 8 voted to pause a set of newborn‑screening policy activities for 12 months beginning July 1, 2026, citing Department of Health funding constraints that staff said include a $5.1 million shortfall for the Newborn Screening (NBS) Program and a projected $21 million shortfall to Foundational Public Health Services for fiscal year 2027.
The Board’s motion, moved by Vice Chair Kelly Oshiro and seconded by Member Peter Browning, directs staff to deny rulemaking petitions related to newborn screening that cite budget constraints, refrain from filing CR‑101/CR‑102/CR‑103 rulemaking notices for a 12‑month period, and requires the Department of Health to return to the Board at its June meeting with an updated work plan. Vice Chair Oshiro also moved a related motion, approved by the Board, to pause convening Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) for 12 months effective immediately.
The Department asked the Board to pause select policy work to preserve current screening operations amid the shortfall. Anna Pickett of the Department said the program is fee‑based and that lab supply costs have risen “approximately 200% in recent years,” staffing and reimbursement timing complicate operations, and the Legislature funded only part of a requested per‑baby fee increase (the Department requested $4.60 per baby and received $4.04). "Our request is to prioritize current screening and avoid adding unfunded work," Pickett said.
Board discussion emphasized the tradeoffs. Chair Patty Hayes said she was concerned about the timing of the pause and that the Board should be cautious about the public consequences. Hayes voted against the motion; Secretary of Health Dennis Worsham and Member Daytheon Sturges abstained. According to meeting records, the motion passed with six members voting yes, one voting no (Chair Hayes) and two abstentions.
Members debated whether to bundle three separate requests from the Department (pausing new condition additions, delaying the implementation of Wilson Disease, and pausing future TACs) or address them individually. Several members, including Member Ashley Mathews and Member Steve Kutz, expressed concern for families who might be affected and underscored the difficulty of pausing work that staff and volunteer experts had already begun.
Executive Director Michelle Davis and staff noted that some TAC work for April had already been completed and that cancelling a TAC could delay consideration for a year or more, depending on future budgets. The Board specifically directed staff to work with the Department to return in June with a proposed work plan that addresses how petitions, queued conditions, and scheduled TACs will be handled during the pause.
The Board’s action does not eliminate petitions from being submitted; rather, under the motion petitions citing the Department’s fiscal constraints will be denied during the 12‑month pause. The motion also instructs staff to provide public communication about the pause and its implications for families and stakeholders.
The pause is set to begin July 1, 2026, pending further Board action. Board members said the Department may request extensions or provide additional information earlier if the fiscal picture changes.
