The bill, Substitute House Bill No. 5321, mandates that starting July 1, 2027, all newborns in the state must be screened for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) as part of the Department of Public Health's newborn screening program. This program already includes tests for various genetic and metabolic disorders. The bill amends subsection (c) of section 19a-55 of the 2024 supplement to the general statutes by repealing the existing language and substituting it with new provisions. The new provisions include the addition of DMD to the list of conditions for which newborns are screened, alongside other conditions such as amino acid disorders, fatty acid oxidation disorders, hypothyroidism, and more. The bill also includes the deletion of the word "and" before the insertion of the new conditions to be screened, which now reads "(2) on and after July 1, 2025, cytomegalovirus, and (3) on and after July 1, 2027, Duchenne muscular dystrophy."

The fiscal impact statement indicates that the bill will result in costs to the Department of Public Health and the Office of the State Comptroller – Fringe Benefits in the out years, starting from FY 27. The anticipated costs are approximately $376,572 in FY 27 and $358,597 in FY 28 for the Department of Public Health, and approximately $66,365 in FY 27 and $69,724 in FY 28 for the Office of the State Comptroller – Fringe Benefits. These costs are associated with the need for additional staff and the purchase of ancillary supplies and reagents necessary for DMD screening. The bill is effective upon passage and was reported favorably by the Public Health Committee.