NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A7338
SPONSOR: Paulin
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to newborn screening
for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL::
Requires glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency testing for all
newborns.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends paragraph (j) of subdivision 1 of section 2500-a of the
public health law by removing the requirements that limit testing of
glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in newborns.
Section 2 provides the effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is an inherited
genetic enzyme disorder that affects the functioning of red blood cells
and has the potential to cause attacks of acute hemolytic anemia, severe
neonatal jaundice, and kernicterus, which is caused by high levels of
bilirubin and can affect brain development. In the most severe cases,
untreated G6PD deficiency leads to permanent brain damage and sometimes
death.
Under current law, there are certain conditions for newborns to qualify
for the G6PD screening. The law requires newborns to already be showing
symptoms of hemolytic anemia, severe jaundice, or be at an ethnic risk
by having African, Asian, Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern ances-
try.Waiting until symptoms are present before screening for G6PD defi-
ciency, can lead to severe complications for the baby. When checking a
newborn for G6PD, bilirubin levels can also be checked before it reaches
harmful levels. Currently, bilirubin levels aren't checked until after
the damage has been done. Additionally, by separating this screening out
from other newborn screenings the process to perform the task is made
more complicated, and it is more invasive to the infant-patient. With
New York being such a diverse state, G6PD should be a requirement for
newborn screening regardless if symptoms are present or not. Removing
the preconditions requirement for G6PD testing will ensure that newborns
receive timely treatment that is needed to avoid further complications.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
New Bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::
Minimal
 
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This act shall take effect immediately
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7338
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 17, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to newborn screening
for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraph (j) of subdivision 1 of section 2500-a of the
2 public health law, as amended by chapter 70 of the laws of 2022, is
3 amended to read as follows:
4 (j) Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency [using a quantitative
5 enzymatic test or other diagnostic test in cases where: the newborn
6 infant presents with hemolytic anemia, hemolytic jaundice, or early-on-
7 set increasing neonatal jaundice, that is, jaundice (bilirubin level
8 greater than fortieth percentile for age in hours) persisting beyond the
9 day of birth through the week after birth; the newborn infant has been
10 admitted to the hospital for jaundice following birth; or the biological
11 parent of the newborn infant indicates a family, racial, or ethnic risk
12 of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, including having
13 significant African, Asian, Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern ancestry].
14 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10869-02-3