Expansion of newborn screening to go into effect in Arkansas

All babies born in Arkansas will soon be screened for 29 life-threatening genetic and functional disorders. One of the bills I filed in my freshman term was "Joshua's Law," named after a young man in Texarkana who has been diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. Joshua's Law was signed into law on April 11, 2005 as Act 1931 and expanded newborn screening in Arkansas to include Cystic Fibrosis and other disorders. CF will be among 29 disorders in the expanded screening for early detection so that immediate care can be provided to newborns.