On July 9, 2019, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act No. 19-176 (PA 19-176), “An Act Concerning Newborn Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.” Starting on January 1, 2020, this law requires hospitals and other institutions that care for newborn infants to screen such infants for spinal muscular atrophy.

As with other statutory requirements for newborn infant screening under Connecticut law – including testing for HIV, phenylketonuria, sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, and critical congenital heart disease – the requirement to test for spinal muscular atrophy does not apply if a parent objects to the test based on religious tenets or practice.