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A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Infant Mortality Task Force. 1
WHEREAS, infant mortality is defined as the death of an infant before his or her 2
first birthday; and 3
WHEREAS, in 2018, over 21,000 infants died in the United States; and 4
WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 5
leading causes of infant mortality are birth defects, low birthweight and preterm birth, 6
maternal pregnancy complications, sudden infant death syndrome, and unintentional 7
injuries; and 8
WHEREAS, the low birthweight rate has risen in Kentucky from an average of 8.8 9
percent in 2019 to 8.9 percent in 2020; and 10
WHEREAS, Kentucky's low birthweight racial gap between Black and white 11
infants increased by 22 percent from 2019 to 2020, from 5.0 to 6.1 percentage points; and 12
WHEREAS, research indicates that socioeconomic inequality is a primary 13
contributor to higher infant mortality rates; and 14
WHEREAS, 21.3 percent of females ages 18 to 44 years old in Kentucky live in 15
poverty; and 16
WHEREAS, Kentucky ranks 37th out of the 50 states for infant mortality rates; and 17
WHEREAS, in Kentucky there are seven infant deaths per 1,000 live births; and 18
WHEREAS, in Kentucky infants born to mothers ages 15 to 19 years old are at a 19
higher risk of infant mortality, with an average of nine infant deaths per 1,000 live births; 20
and 21
WHEREAS, Black infants are at higher risk than white infants, with 10.9 infant 22
deaths per 1,000 Black births, compared with 6.3 infant deaths per 1,000 white births; 23
NOW, THEREFORE, 24
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the 25
Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Senate concurring therein: 26
Section 1. The Legislative Research Commission shall establish the Infant 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 140
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Mortality Task Force to review factors influencing infant mortality and make 1
recommendations to decrease the rate of infant mortality in the Commonwealth. 2
Section 2. The duties of the Infant Mortality Task Force shall include but are 3
not limited to: 4
(1) Reviewing research that examines the connections between a mother's health 5
before, during, and between pregnancies, as well as that of her child across the course of 6
the child's life; 7
(2) Reviewing comprehensive data on infant mortality deaths and pregnancy 8
complications, including data disaggregated by race, geography, and socioeconomic 9
status; 10
(3) Reviewing research to identify best practices and effective interventions for 11
improving the quality and safety of maternity care and reducing infant mortality; and 12
(4) Making recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission, the 13
Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and any other relevant executive branch agency, 14
including but not limited to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, the Public Protection 15
Cabinet, the Cabinet for Economic Development, and the Education and Labor Cabinet, 16
to improve health care and social, economic, and environmental conditions that may 17
improve maternal health and decrease infant mortality. 18
Section 3. The Infant Mortality Task Force shall be composed of the following 19
members, with final membership of the task force being subject to the consideration and 20
approval of the Legislative Research Commission: 21
(1) Four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of 22
the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be designated by the Speaker of the 23
House of Representatives as a co-chair of the task force; and 24
(2) Four members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one of 25
whom shall be designated by the President of the Senate as a co-chair of the task force. 26
Section 4. The Infant Mortality Task Force shall meet monthly during the 2023 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 140
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Interim of the General Assembly. The task force shall submit findings and 1
recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the appropriate 2
committee or committees by December 1, 2023. 3
Section 5. Provisions of this Resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the 4
Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the 5
issues identified herein to an interim joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to 6
designate a study completion date. 7