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2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
March 26, 2020 - Introduced by Senator Kooyenga. Referred to Committee on
Health and Human Services.
SB908,1,2 1An Act to create 253.135 of the statutes; relating to: information on Down
2syndrome.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires certain health care practitioners and genetic counselors who
provide prenatal or postnatal care or genetic counseling, who administer or request
administration of prenatal or postnatal screening or diagnostic tests that detect
Down syndrome, and who receive the results of those tests to deliver certain
information to an expectant parent, parent, or guardian whose child has a prenatal
screening that indicates or a postnatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. The bill
requires the Department of Health Services to make available the information
related to Down syndrome specified in the bill in informational support packages and
on its Internet site. The bill also requires DHS to establish a grant program to award
grants to at least one nonprofit organization for the creation of the information
materials on Down syndrome specified in the bill.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB908,1 3Section 1. 253.135 of the statutes is created to read:
SB908,2,1
1253.135 Down syndrome. (1) Definitions. In this section:
SB908,2,32 (a) “Down syndrome" means a chromosomal condition caused in cell division
3that results in the presence of an extra whole or partial copy of chromosome 21.
SB908,2,94 (b) “Health care practitioner” means any individual with a credential from the
5department of safety and professional services to provide health or medical care in
6the ordinary course of business or practice of a profession, including any physician,
7physician assistant licensed under ch. 448, nurse licensed under ch. 441,
8nurse-midwife licensed under s. 441.15, or midwife licensed under s. 440.982, or
9genetic counselor.
SB908,2,15 10(2) Dissemination of informational materials required. Any health care
11practitioner who provides prenatal or postnatal care or genetic counseling, who
12administers or requests administration of a prenatal or postnatal screening or
13diagnostic test of a child that detects Down syndrome, and who receives the test
14results from such a test shall ensure that all of the following individuals are provided
15the information described under sub. (3):
SB908,2,1716 (a) An expectant parent of a child for whom the results from a prenatal test
17indicate a high likelihood of or the definite presence of Down syndrome.
SB908,2,1918 (b) A parent of a child who is diagnosed with Down syndrome after a postnatal
19test.
SB908,2,2120 (c) A legal guardian of a child who is diagnosed with Down syndrome after a
21postnatal test.
SB908,2,24 22(3) Creation of informational materials. (a) Subject to par. (b), the
23department shall make available to health care practitioners described in sub. (2) all
24of the following:
SB908,3,3
11. Current, evidence-based, written information about Down syndrome that
2has been reviewed by medical experts and national organizations specializing in
3Down syndrome and that contains all of the following:
SB908,3,54 a. A description of the clinical course of Down syndrome, including possible
5physical, developmental, educational, and psychosocial outcomes.
SB908,3,76 b. Intellectual and functional development and therapy options for Down
7syndrome.
SB908,3,88 c. Life expectancy for individuals with a diagnosis of Down syndrome.
SB908,3,149 2. Contact information for local and national Down syndrome organizations
10that are nonprofit and that provide for parents and guardians of children diagnosed
11with Down syndrome information and support services, including resources of the
12Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin and other informational hotlines specific
13to Down syndrome, resource centers or clearinghouses, and other educational and
14support programs related to Down syndrome.
SB908,3,1715 (b) The department shall ensure that the information provided under par. (a)
16is culturally and linguistically appropriate for an expectant parent, parent, or
17guardian receiving a positive test result indicating a diagnosis of Down syndrome.
SB908,3,2318 (c) In addition to providing the information under par. (a) in informational
19support packages for expectant parents, parents, and guardians, the department
20shall post the information described in par. (a) on its Internet site. The department
21may add to its Internet site informational material and contact information from any
22organization that supports individuals who are diagnosed with Down syndrome or
23educates individuals on Down syndrome, if the organization requests inclusion.
SB908,4,5 24(4) Grants. The department shall establish a grant program to award grants
25to at least one nonprofit organization to create the informational materials under

1sub. (3) (a). The department or the nonprofit organization that receives the grant
2shall periodically update the informational materials under sub. (3) (a). As a
3condition of receiving a grant, the department may require the nonprofit
4organization to distribute the informational materials under sub. (3) (a) to health
5care practitioners.
SB908,4,66 (End)
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