(1) It shall be the duty of the department of health to require screening tests of all newborn infants born in any setting. Each hospital or health care provider attending a birth outside of a hospital shall collect and submit a sample blood specimen for all newborns no more than forty-eight hours following birth. The department of health shall conduct screening tests of samples for the detection of phenylketonuria and other heritable or metabolic disorders leading to intellectual disabilities or physical defects as defined by the state board of health: PROVIDED, That no such tests shall be given to any newborn infant whose parents or guardian object thereto on the grounds that such tests conflict with their religious tenets and practices.

(2) The sample required in subsection (1) of this section must be received by the department [of health] within seventy-two hours of the collection of the sample, excluding any day that the Washington state public health laboratory is closed.

Purpose—2010 c 94: See note following RCW 44.04.280.