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An Act To Clarify the Provision for Care of Infants after Birth
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1531, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 426, §1, is amended to read:
 
1. Prophylactic ophthalmic ointment and reporting requirement.   Every physician, midwife or nurse in charge shall instill or cause to be instilled into the eyes of an infant within 24 hours after its birth prophylactic ophthalmic ointment prescribed by the department and provided without cost by the department. If one or both eyes of an infant become reddened or inflamed at any time within 4 weeks after birth, the midwife, nurse or person having charge of the infant shall report the condition of the eyes at once to a physicianthe infant's primary care provider licensed under Title 32, chapter 36 or 48.
Sec. 2.  PL 2019, c. 426, §2  is amended to read:
Sec. 2. Department of Health and Human Services to amenddevelop form. The Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its newborn blood spot screening refusal form to include a section permittingdevelop an ophthalmic ointment and vitamin K injection refusal form that permits a parent to refuse the prophylactic ophthalmic ointment or vitamin K injection required under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 1531 for the infant of that parent.
 
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 129th Legislature, Second Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.