(a) The Department may adopt, promulgate, amend and repeal any rules and regulations necessary to accomplish the purpose of this subchapter. These rules and regulations may include provisions for:
(1) The establishment and maintenance of an up-to-date registry that shall document every diagnosis or treatment, or both, of autism in any child in this State;
(2) a. The establishment of a procedure for reporting to the Department, within 30 days of initial diagnosis of every occurrence of autism in any child in this State. The procedure shall include the reporting of specified information, through a combined system of active and passive surveillance, on every child under 18 years of age with autism. Specified information shall be deemed necessary and appropriate to accomplish the purpose of this subchapter and in accordance with the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for the following reasons:
1. To identify risk factors for autism;
2. To investigate the causes and prevalence of autism;
3. To develop preventive strategies to decrease occurrences of autism;
4. To analyze incidences, prevalence and trends of autism through epidemiological studies; or
5. To investigate the morbidity and mortality rates resulting from autism;
b. Those required to report to the Department occurrences of autism shall include:
1. Any physician, surgeon, dentist, podiatrist or other health care practitioner who diagnoses a child with autism;
2. The designated representative of any hospital, dispensary or other similar public or private institution that diagnoses or provides treatment, or both, for children with autism;
(3) The establishment of a procedure for the publication and distribution of forms, instructions and notices required by this subchapter or necessary to accomplish the purpose of this subchapter; and
(4) The establishment of a procedure to obtain follow-up information from those required to report occurrences of autism pursuant to this subchapter. Any follow-up information, including family, physician, hospital or laboratory contact deemed necessary by the Department, shall be submitted to the Department at least 1 time each year by those required to report occurrences of autism.
(b) The provisions of this subchapter and any rules or regulations issued pursuant to this subchapter shall not apply to any person or private institution that, as an exercise of religious freedom, treats the sick or suffering by spiritual means through prayer alone.
(c) A parent, custodian or guardian of an infant having any autism may refuse disclosure to the surveillance system and registry of the infant's name and identifying information on the grounds that such autism identification is contrary to the religious tenets and practices of the infant's parent, custodian or guardian.