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Current Status Bill Number:View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.3379 Ratification Number:137 Act Number:125 Type of Legislation:Joint Resolution JR Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:20010130 Primary Sponsor:J. Brown All Sponsors:J. Brown Drafted Document Number:l:\council\bills\nbd\11060ac01.doc Date Bill Passed both Bodies:20010606 Date of Last Amendment:20010517 Governor's Action:S Date of Governor's Action:20010831 Subject:Newborn Eye Screening Task Force created, Minors, Optometry History Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ ______________________________________ _______ ____________ ------ 20011116 Act No. A125 ------ 20010831 Signed by Governor ------ 20010607 Ratified R137 House 20010606 Concurred in Senate amendment, enrolled for ratification Senate 20010604 Read third time, returned to House with amendment ------ 20010521 Scrivener's error corrected Senate 20010517 Read second time Senate 20010517 Committee amendment adopted ------ 20010517 Scrivener's error corrected Senate 20010516 Committee report: Favorable with 13 SMA amendment Senate 20010306 Introduced, read first time, 13 SMA referred to Committee House 20010301 Read third time, sent to Senate House 20010228 Amended, read second time House 20010222 Committee report: Favorable with 27 H3M amendment House 20010130 Introduced, read first time, 27 H3M referred to Committee Versions of This Bill Revised on February 22, 2001 - Word format Revised on February 28, 2001 - Word format Revised on May 16, 2001 - Word format Revised on May 17, 2001 - Word format Revised on May 17, 2001-A - Word format Revised on May 21, 2001 - Word format
(A125, R137, H3379)
A JOINT RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH THE NEWBORN EYE SCREENING TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING SCREENING NEWBORN CHILDREN FOR CERTAIN OCULAR DISEASES AND ABNORMALITIES AND TO REQUIRE THE TASK FORCE TO REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY BEFORE MARCH 1, 2002, AT WHICH TIME THE TASK FORCE IS ABOLISHED.
Whereas, treatable congenital ocular diseases occur more frequently than many other health conditions detected through newborn screenings; and
Whereas, visually significant congenital cataracts occur as often as one in five hundred live births and retinoblastoma, eye cancer in young children, occurs as often as one in fifteen thousand live births; and
Whereas, undetected diseases and abnormalities may result in blinding or life-threatening diseases, or both; and
Whereas, it is in the best interests of the children, families, and citizens of this State to study ocular diseases and abnormalities in newborns, including the frequency, the effectiveness, costs, and funding mechanisms for screenings. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Task force created
SECTION 1. (A) There is established the Newborn Eye Screening Task Force to study the screening of ocular diseases and abnormalities in newborn children. The study should include review of currently required ocular screenings of newborns, if any, identification of the most prevalent ocular diseases and abnormalities in newborns, and the effectiveness, costs, and funding of screening for these diseases and abnormalities.
(B) The task force must be composed of:
(1) the director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control or a designee, who shall serve as chair;
(2) the director of the Department of Health and Human Services, or a designee;
(3) the director of the Governor's Division of Health and Human Services;
(4) the following members to be appointed by the Governor:
(a) one general ophthalmologist;
(b) one ophthalmologist with a specialty in or experience in providing pediatric ophthalmology to young children;
(c) one neonatologist with a specialty in or knowledge of infant eye screening;
(d) one representative of the South Carolina Academy of Pediatrics;
(e) one representative of the South Carolina Academy of Family Physicians;
(f) one representative of the South Carolina Hospital Association;
(g) one general optometrist;
(h) one optometrist with a specialty or experience in providing optometric care to young children;
(i) two parents representing two families with a child with blindness or other ocular abnormalities affecting vision.
(C) The task force shall meet upon the call of the chair and is entitled to the usual per diem, subsistence, and mileage as provided by law for members of state boards, committees, and commissions.
(D) The task force shall submit its report and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly before March 1, 2002, at which time the task force is abolished.
Time effective
SECTION 2. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Ratified the 7th day of June, 2001.
Approved the 31st day of August, 2001.
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