HOUSE BILL No. 4426

 

March 1, 2005, Introduced by Reps. Kolb, Leland, Alma Smith, Lipsey, Bieda, Donigan and Tobocman and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled

 

"Public health code,"

 

by amending sections 5717 and 5721 (MCL 333.5717 and 333.5721),

 

section 5717 as added by 1987 PA 48 and section 5721 as amended by

 

1988 PA 236.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 5717. The department shall establish a birth defects

 

registry for all of the following purposes:

 

     (a) To provide information on the incidence, prevalence, and

 

trends of birth defects, fetal deaths, and miscarriages among

 

Vietnam-era veterans,  and  their families, and  among  the general

 

population.

 

     (b) To provide information to determine whether environmental


 

hazards,  such as  including, but not limited to, exposure to agent

 

orange, pesticides, or chemical agents and location in close

 

proximity to an industrial or manufacturing facility, are

 

associated with birth defects,  and to  fetal deaths, and

 

miscarriages among Vietnam-era veterans, their families, and the

 

general population.

 

     (c) To provide information as to other possible causes of

 

birth defects, fetal deaths, and miscarriages among Vietnam-era

 

veterans, their families, and  among  the general population.

 

     (d)   (c)  To develop prevention strategies, including, but

 

not limited to, education and outreach, for reducing the incidence

 

of birth defects, fetal deaths, and miscarriages among Vietnam-era

 

veterans,  and  their families, and  among  the general population.

 

     Sec. 5721. (1) Each diagnosed incidence of a birth defect,

 

including a congenital or structural malformation, or a biochemical

 

or genetic disease, and any other information relevant to incidents

 

of birth defects, shall be reported to the department within 30

 

days of the diagnosis.  The reporting shall begin not later than

 

the next calendar year after June 11, 1987.

 

     (2) Each fetal death and miscarriage and any other information

 

relevant to the fetal death or miscarriage, including, but not

 

limited to, the medical records of the mother, shall be reported to

 

the department within 30 days of the incident.

 

     (3)  (2)  The department shall maintain comprehensive

 

statewide records of all information reported to the birth defects

 

registry. The information reported  shall be  is confidential and

 

subject to the same requirements  of confidentiality as  provided  


 

in  under section 2631 for data or records concerning medical

 

research projects.

 

     (4)  (3)  The director shall promulgate rules  which  that

 

provide for all of the following:

 

     (a) A list of birth defects, including, but not limited to,

 

congenital and structural malformations, and biochemical or genetic

 

diseases, and other relevant information to be reported.

 

     (b) The quality,  and  manner,  in which the incidents of

 

birth defects  and form for reporting each birth defect, fetal

 

death, miscarriage, and other information  is to be reported  to

 

the department.

 

     (c) The terms and conditions under which records maintained

 

under this section, including any records containing the name and

 

medical condition of a specific individual, may be released by the

 

department.

 

     (5)  (4)  This section does not compel an individual to submit

 

to medical examination or supervision by the department or

 

otherwise.

 

     (6)  (5)  The department may  contract  do 1 or more of the

 

following:

 

     (a) Contract for the collection and analysis of, and research

 

related to, the data required under this section.

 

     (b) Contract for the study of environmental hazards in this

 

state and their relation to birth defects, fetal deaths, and

 

miscarriages.

 

     (c) Contract for the monitoring of the birth registry program

 

and evaluating compliance with the program.


 

     (7)   (6) Within 2 years after June 11, 1987, the  The

 

department shall  begin evaluating  evaluate the information

 

reported to the birth defects registry. The department shall

 

publish and make available to the public annual reports summarizing

 

the information collected.  The first summary report shall be

 

published not later than 180 days after the end of the first 2 full

 

calendar years after June 11, 1987. Subsequent annual  Annual

 

summary reports shall be made on a full calendar year basis and

 

published not later than 180 days after the end of each calendar

 

year.