The establishment of the life.gov website is expected to centralize essential pregnancy resources and facilitate easier access for mothers. By aggregating local and nationwide resources, the bill seeks to improve maternal health outcomes and provide support in various areas, including health services, nutrition, and education. However, a critical component of this bill is the exclusion of any resources from entities that perform or promote abortions, thus aligning the legislation with specific anti-abortion viewpoints. This may also impact the availability of comprehensive reproductive healthcare information for women.
Summary
House Bill 5406, known as the Life.Gov Act, mandates the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a comprehensive public website titled life.gov. This website aims to function as a clearinghouse of resources tailored for expecting mothers, allowing them to access relevant information based on their geographical ZIP code. In addition to providing essential health information, the site will include resources such as financial assistance, legal support, and mental health services, thereby addressing a wide range of needs for mothers and families during pregnancy and postpartum periods.
Contention
Discussions surrounding HB5406 have highlighted significant points of contention, particularly the emphasis on defunding and excluding services related to abortion. Critics argue that this exclusion could limit the availability of holistic reproductive health options for pregnant women. Proponents, however, contend that such a clearinghouse promotes choice by offering alternatives to abortion and that it addresses the myriad needs of expecting mothers through a structured approach. The bill reflects broader ideological divides regarding reproductive rights and the role of government in personal healthcare decisions.
Standing with Moms Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to disseminate information about pregnancy-related resources. Specifically, HHS must maintain a public website (life.gov) that lists such resources that are available through federal, state, and local governments and private entities. Additionally, HHS must maintain on its website a portal that provides a user, based on the user's responses to a series of questions, tailored information about pregnancy resources available in the user's zip code and risks related to abortion. HHS must develop a plan to conduct follow-up outreach to users of the portal (if the user consents to the outreach). States must recommend resources that meet criteria set by HHS for including through the portal. HHS may award grants to states to establish or support a system that aggregates resources to include on the portal. Further, the Health Resources and Services Administration must share information about life.gov and the portal through the Maternal Mental Health Hotline. HHS must also ensure that the life.gov website and hotline are available to families who speak languages other than English. The bill excludes from life.gov, the portal, and the hotline resources provided by entities that (1) perform, induce, refer for, or counsel in favor of abortions; or (2) financially support such entities. The bill also requires HHS to report on traffic to life.gov and the portal, gaps in services available to pregnant and postpartum individuals, and related matters.
Reforms the organizational structure for the Department of Transportation and Development including its duties, powers, and responsibilities of officers and employees (EN INCREASE SD EX See Note)