71-554.

Legislative findings.

The Legislature finds that:

(1) Critical congenital heart disease is among the most common birth defects;

(2) Critical congenital heart disease is the leading cause of death for infants born with a birth defect;

(3) A major cause of infant mortality as a result of critical congenital heart disease is that a significant number of newborns affected are not diagnosed in the newborn nursery as having critical congenital heart disease; and

(4) An effective mechanism for critical congenital heart disease screening of newborns can reduce infant mortality.