II 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2658 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for systematic data 

collection, analysis, and epidemiological research regarding neonatal abstinence syndrome. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 12, 2018 

Mr. NELSON (for himself and Mr. RUBIO) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for 

systematic data collection, analysis, and epidemiological 

research regarding neonatal abstinence syndrome. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Newborns 

5 from Opioids Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. NEONATAL ABSTINENCE SYNDROME RESEARCH 

2 AND SURVEILLANCE. 

3 Title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended 

4 by inserting after section 317L–1 (42 U.S.C. 247b–13a) 

5 the following: 

6 ‘‘SEC. 317L–2. NEONATAL ABSTINENCE SYNDROME RE7 SEARCH AND SURVEILLANCE. 

8 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 

9 the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Pre10 vention (referred to in this section as the ‘Director’), 

11 shall— 

12 ‘‘(1) award grants to States to create or im13 prove surveillance systems for neonatal abstinence 

14 syndrome, and analyze the data collected through 

15 such State systems; and 

16 ‘‘(2) conduct research on the prevention, factors 

17 surrounding, and health outcomes of neonatal absti18 nence syndrome. 

19 ‘‘(b) NAS SURVEILLANCE.— 

20 ‘‘(1) STATE GRANT PROGRAM.—To provide sup21 port to States receiving grants under subsection 

22 (a)(1), the Secretary shall (directly or through 

23 grants or cooperative agreements to public and non24 profit private entities)— 

25 ‘‘(A) cooperate with and assist States in 

26 implementing a State-wide surveillance system 


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1 to rapidly determine the incidence and preva2 lence of neonatal abstinence syndrome; 

3 ‘‘(B) include demographics and other in4 formation, such as race, ethnicity, geographic 

5 location, and family history; 

6 ‘‘(C) provide technical assistance to States 

7 to improve identification of neonatal abstinence 

8 syndrome; 

9 ‘‘(D) ensure a pathway for data sharing 

10 between States and the Centers for Disease 

11 Control and Prevention; and 

12 ‘‘(E) ensure that data collection is con13 sistent with applicable State and Federal pri14 vacy laws. 

15 ‘‘(2) CDC RESEARCH.—The Director shall— 

16 ‘‘(A) collect data on neonatal abstinence 

17 syndrome that States gather using grant funds 

18 under subsection (a)(1); 

19 ‘‘(B) conduct analysis of such data to iden20 tify national trends; and 

21 ‘‘(C) issue public reports on such analysis. 

22 ‘‘(c) NAS RESEARCH.—In carrying out subsection 

23 (a)(2), the Secretary shall conduct new studies, or cap24 italize on existing studies, to research— 


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1 ‘‘(1) long-term physical, educational, and neuro2 developmental outcomes of children affected by neo3 natal abstinence syndrome; 

4 ‘‘(2) the prevalence of, and reasons for, opioid 

5 use among women who are pregnant or may become 

6 pregnant; and 

7 ‘‘(3) the comparative effectiveness of available 

8 treatment protocols for infants affected by neonatal 

9 abstinence syndrome. 

10 ‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To 

11 carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro12 priated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 

13 years 2019 through 2023.’’. 

Æ 


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