SB 1044 expands Texas' newborn screening program to include testing for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The bill amends the Health and Safety Code to require physicians or attendants at childbirth to screen newborns for DMD alongside existing tests for phenylketonuria, hypothyroidism, and other heritable diseases. It directs the Department of State Health Services to establish laboratory protocols for DMD detection, notify parents and healthcare providers if test results indicate a potential diagnosis, and offer follow-up services for children confirmed to have the disorder. The bill sets a deadline of September 1, 2027, for full implementation of these changes​.