Statute: Sec.2, Subd.3.
Subd. 3. Newborn and infant hearing screening programs. All hospitals shall establish a Universal Newborn Hearing and Infant Screening (UNHS) program. Each UNHS program shall:…

Statute: Sec.2, Subd. 2.
Subd. 2. Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee. (a) The commissioner of health shall establish a Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee to advise and assist the Department of Health and the Department of Education in:

(1) developing protocols and timelines for screening, rescreening, and diagnostic audiological assessment and early medical, audiological, and educational intervention services for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing;
    (2) designing protocols for tracking children from birth through age three that may have passed newborn screening but are at risk for delayed or late onset of permanent hearing loss;
    (3) designing a technical assistance program to support facilities implementing the screening program and facilities conducting rescreening and diagnostic audiological assessment;
    (4) designing implementation and evaluation of a system of follow-up and tracking; and
    (5) evaluating program outcomes to increase effectiveness and efficiency and ensure culturally appropriate services for children with a confirmed hearing loss and their families.
    (b) The commissioner of health shall appoint at least one member from each of the following groups with no less than two of the members being deaf or hard-of-hearing:
    (1) a representative from a consumer organization representing culturally deaf persons;
    (2) a parent with a child with hearing loss representing a parent organization;
    (3) a consumer from an organization representing oral communication options;
    (4) a consumer from an organization representing cued speech communication options;
    (5) an audiologist who has experience in evaluation and intervention of infants and young children;
    (6) a speech-language pathologist who has experience in evaluation and intervention of infants and young children;
    (7) two primary care providers who have experience in the care of infants and young children, one of which shall be a pediatrician;
    (8) a representative from the early hearing detection intervention teams;
    (9) a representative from the Department of Education resource center for the deaf and hard-of-hearing or the representative's designee;
    (10) a representative of the Minnesota Commission Serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing People;    (11) a representative from the Department of Human Services Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division;
    (12) one or more of the Part C coordinators from the Department of Education, the Department of Health, or the Department of Human Services or the department's designees;
    (13) the Department of Health early hearing detection and intervention coordinators;
    (14) two birth hospital representatives from one rural and one urban hospital;
    (15) a pediatric geneticist;
    (16) an otolaryngologist;
    (17) a representative from the Newborn Screening Advisory Committee under this subdivision; and
    (18) a representative of the Department of Education regional low-incidence facilitators. The commissioner must complete the appointments required under this subdivision by September 1, 2007.
    (c) The Department of Health member shall chair the first meeting of the committee. At the first meeting, the committee shall elect a chair from its membership. The committee
shall meet at the call of the chair, at least four times a year. The committee shall adopt
written bylaws to govern its activities. The Department of Health shall provide technical
and administrative support services as required by the committee. These services shall
include technical support from individuals qualified to administer infant hearing screening,
rescreening, and diagnostic audiological assessments.
    Members of the committee shall receive no compensation for their service, but
shall be reimbursed as provided in section 15.059 for expenses incurred as a result of
their duties as members of the committee.
    (d) This subdivision expires June 30, 2013.Source: HF 1206

Statute: Sec.2, Subd.3. (7), Subd.4.
Subd. 3. Newborn and infant hearing screening programs. All hospitals shall establish a Universal Newborn Hearing and Infant Screening (UNHS) program. Each UNHS program shall:

(7) inform the newborn's or infant's parents or parent, primary care physician, and
the Department of Health according to recommendations of the Department of Health of
the results of the hearing screening test or rescreening if conducted, or if the newborn or
infant was not successfully tested. The hospital that discharges the newborn or infant to
home is responsible for the screening; and
(8) collect performance data specified by the Department of Health.

Subd. 4. Notification and information.

(a) Notification to the parents or parent, primary care provider, and the Department of Health shall occur prior to discharge or no later than ten days following the date of testing. Notification shall include information recommended by the Department of Health.
(b) A physician, nurse, midwife, or other health professional attending a birth outside a hospital or institution shall provide information, orally and in writing, as established by the Department of Health, to parents regarding places where the parents may have their infant's hearing screened and the importance of the screening.
(c) The professional conducting the diagnostic procedure to confirm the hearing loss must report the results to the parents, primary care provider, and Department of Health according to the Department of Health recommendations.

Subd. 5. Oversight responsibility. The Department of Health shall exercise oversight responsibility for EHDI programs, including establishing a performance data set and reviewing performance data collected by each hospital.Source: HF 1206

Statute: Sec.2, Subd.3.
Subd. 3. Newborn and infant hearing screening programs. All hospitals shall establish a Universal Newborn Hearing and Infant Screening (UNHS) program. Each UNHS program shall:   
 (1) in advance of any hearing screening testing, provide to the newborn's or infant's parents or parent information concerning the nature of the screening procedure, applicable costs of the screening procedure, the potential risks and effects of hearing loss, and the
benefits of early detection and intervention;
    (2) comply with parental consent under section 144.125, subdivision 3;

Statute: Sec.2, Subd.6  
  Subd. 6. Civil and criminal immunity and penalties.