The bill amends Section 23-11-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-11, which pertains to sexually transmitted diseases, specifically focusing on the blood testing of pregnant women. It establishes a requirement for physicians, midwives, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners to obtain blood specimens from pregnant women within thirty days of their first professional visit and again during the third trimester. The blood specimens are to be submitted for testing for syphilis, specifically through a Wassermann or other standard laboratory blood test.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that any violation of these provisions will be classified as a misdemeanor, with fines ranging from ten to one hundred dollars for each offense. The act will take effect immediately upon passage. The amendments include the insertion of new responsibilities for midwives, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, as well as the requirement for a second blood specimen during the third trimester, while deleting the previous singular reference to a blood specimen.

Statutes affected:
5613: 23-11-8
5613  SUB A: 23-11-8