STATEHOUSE – State Representative Ron Bacon (R-Chandler) authored a bill to help parents gain access to important information when dealing with a prenatal diagnosis. The bill passed out of the Indiana Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 48-2.
House Bill (HB) 1093 requires the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) to collect certain information regarding the prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome and any other prenatally diagnosed condition. This information will then be disseminated by health facilities and health care providers to parents who receive a prenatal diagnosis for one of these conditions.
“My goal in authoring this legislation is to empower parents with the information they need and deserve regarding the health and wellbeing of their child,†said Rep. Bacon. “While this already occurs at many large hospitals, including Deaconess Women’s Hospital and St. Mary’s Medical Center, many smaller hospitals simply do not have their own materials to distribute. This bill will ensure that parents across the state will receive consistent information no matter which healthcare provider they chose to visit.â€
The information distributed by ISDH must include a brief description as well as contact information for state and local advocacy organizations that advocate for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. This bill not only requires ISDH to approve and compile the information, but also make it available online for immediate access upon diagnosis.
“I am proud to be a part of this and believe it is the least we can do for our Hoosier parents so that they, not the doctors, are able to make the most informed decisions for their family,†said Rep. Bacon.
For more information on HB 1093, please visit iga.in.gov.
