Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HR426 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 60 0105
2	2	House Resolution 426
3	3	By: Representatives Schofield of the 63
4	4	rd
5	5	, Jackson of the 68
6	6	th
7	7	, Davis of the 87
8	8	th
9	9	, Cannon of
10	10	the 58
11	11	th
12	12	, Burnough of the 77
13	13	th
14	14	, and others
15	15	A RESOLUTION
16	16	Urging the General Assembly to support the creation of a Black Maternal Health Caucus; and
17	17	1
18	18	for other purposes.2
19	19	WHEREAS, the United States has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality among3
20	20	high-income countries, with approximately 700 to 900 pregnancy related deaths per year; and4
21	21	WHEREAS, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 805
22	22	percent of pregnancy related deaths in the United States are preventable; and6
23	23	WHEREAS, the United States has one of the highest infant mortality rates among7
24	24	high-income countries, currently ranking 33 out of 36 countries belonging to the8
25	25	Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), with an average of 5.589
26	26	deaths per 1,000 live births; and10
27	27	WHEREAS, there is a growing body of evidence that racism and racial bias in healthcare11
28	28	systems contribute to the national maternal mortality and morbidity crisis and infant12
29	29	mortality and morbidity, in particular for Black pregnant and postpartum women and infants;13
30	30	and14
31	31	H. R. 426
32	32	- 1 - 25 LC 60 0105
33	33	WHEREAS, in the United States, Black women are three to four times more likely to die of
34	34	15
35	35	pregnancy related causes than non-Hispanic white women, which is a disparity that cannot16
36	36	be fully explained by differences in access to prenatal care, socioeconomic status, and17
37	37	general physical health; and18
38	38	WHEREAS, a key objective of the Georgia Department of Public Health is to reduce health19
39	39	and mental health disparities among vulnerable and underserved communities and to achieve20
40	40	health equity throughout Georgia, which should include health equity for Black pregnant21
41	41	women and infants; and22
42	42	WHEREAS, statistics have shown that Georgia has one of the highest maternal mortality23
43	43	rates in the United States at almost twice the national rate; and24
44	44	WHEREAS, in Georgia, Black women are almost three times more likely to die of pregnancy25
45	45	related causes than non-Hispanic white women; and26
46	46	WHEREAS, Georgia has experienced a string of hospital labor and delivery closures across27
47	47	the state, especially in rural areas; and28
48	48	WHEREAS, in Georgia, 34.6 percent of counties are defined as maternity care deserts,29
49	49	compared to 32.6 percent in the United States; and30
50	50	WHEREAS, chronic health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity,31
51	51	and diabetes, contribute to high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, and, in Georgia,32
52	52	Black women have egregious above-average rates of all of these conditions, resulting in33
53	53	high-risk pregnancies and poor maternal health outcomes; and34
54	54	H. R. 426
55	55	- 2 - 25 LC 60 0105
56	56	WHEREAS, Medicaid coverage for doula care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum is
57	57	35
58	58	linked to improved maternal and infant health outcomes, as doula-assisted mothers were four36
59	59	times less likely to have a baby with low birth weight, two times less likely to experience a37
60	60	birth complication for the mother or infant, and significantly more likely to initiate38
61	61	breastfeeding; and39
62	62	WHEREAS, access to quality prenatal, perinatal, and postpartum care is essential to40
63	63	improving Black maternal health outcomes and reducing preventable maternal deaths; and41
64	64	WHEREAS, the establishment of a dedicated Georgia legislative Black Maternal Health42
65	65	Caucus will provide the necessary framework to research, develop, and recommend43
66	66	evidence-based policies and programs to improve maternal health in Georgia; and44
67	67	WHEREAS, the establishment of a Georgia legislative Black Maternal Health Caucus will45
68	68	serve as a coalition of members dedicated to increasing awareness and raising issues related46
69	69	to poor maternal health outcomes and disparities among Black women, including47
70	70	disproportionately high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality compared to their white48
71	71	counterparts.49
72	72	NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that50
73	73	the members of this body urge the General Assembly to create a Georgia legislative Black51
74	74	Maternal Health Caucus as a venue for members to organize around Georgia's maternal52
75	75	health crisis and advance policy solutions to improve maternal health outcomes and end53
76	76	disparities.54
77	77	H. R. 426
78	78	- 3 - 25 LC 60 0105
79	79	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
80	80	55
81	81	and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the56
82	82	public and the press.57
83	83	H. R. 426
84	84	- 4 -