House Bill 1004

AN ACT TO CREATE HUDSON'S LAW TO REQUIRE THE DISSEMINATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT OUTCOMES AND TREATMENT OPTIONS RELATING TO TRISOMY CONDITIONS; TO REQUIRE A HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER WHO ORDERS SCREENING TESTS FOR A PREGNANT WOMAN TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO THE PATIENT UPON RECEIVING A POSITIVE RESULT FOR ANY OF THE TRISOMY CONDITIONS; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS AND PUBLISH IT ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) This section shall be known and may be cited as "Hudson's Law."

(2) For purposes of this section, the following words and phrases have the meanings ascribed in this subsection unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) "Department" means the State Department of Health.

(b) "Health care practitioner" means a medical professional who provides prenatal or postnatal care and administers or requests administration of a diagnostic or screening test to a pregnant woman which detects for trisomy conditions.

(c) "Trisomy conditions" means: trisomy 13 (otherwise known as Patau syndrome); trisomy 18 (otherwise known as Edwards syndrome); and trisomy 21 (otherwise known as Down syndrome).

(3) A health care practitioner who orders tests for a pregnant woman to screen for trisomy conditions must provide the information in subsection (4) of this section to the pregnant woman if the test yields a positive result for any of the trisomy conditions.

(4) The State Department of Health shall make the following information available to health care practitioners and shall publish the information on the department's website:

(a) Up-to-date and evidence-based information about the trisomy conditions which has been reviewed by medical experts and national trisomy organizations. The information must be provided in a written or an alternative format and must include the following:

(i) Expected physical, developmental, educational and psychosocial outcomes;

(ii) Life expectancy;

(iii) The clinical course description;

(iv) Expected intellectual and functional development; and

(v) Treatment options available for the particular syndrome for which the test was positive; and

(b) Contact information for nonprofit organizations that provide information and support services for trisomy conditions.

(5) The department shall ensure that the information required under subsection (4) of this section is culturally and linguistically appropriate for all recipients.

(6) A local or national organization that provides education or services related to trisomy conditions may request that the department include the organization's informational material and contact information on the State Department of Health website. Once a request is made, the department, in its discretion, may add the information to the website.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.