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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3995 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 217
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
David F. DeCoste and Jeffrey Rosario Turco
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to ensuring resources and support for pregnant and parenting families.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:David F. DeCoste5th Plymouth1/17/2025Joseph D. McKenna18th Worcester3/2/2025Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex3/2/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3995 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 217
By Representatives DeCoste of Norwell and Turco of Winthrop, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 217) of David F. DeCoste, Joseph D. McKenna and Colleen M. Garry relative to
providing resources and support for pregnant and parenting families. Children, Families and
Persons with Disabilities.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to ensuring resources and support for pregnant and parenting families.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1: Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
2is hereby amended by adding the following section:- Section 51B ½. (a) For the purposes of this
3section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: “Pregnancy and Parenting
4Resources”, services provided by any organization, such as a non-profit pregnancy support
5center, community centers, homeless shelters, churches, or pregnancy medical centers, that: (1)
6supports expectant mothers in promoting pregnancy equality; and (2) offers resources and
7services to mothers, fathers, and families, including but not limited to, relationship counseling,
8ultrasounds, options counseling and support, prenatal and pregnancy education, pregnancy
9testing, diapers, baby clothes, or material supports. ”Government Resources”, any government or
10non-government website, advertisement on billboards, buses, trains, garbage cans, television
11commercials, and social media platforms, that either encourage or dissuade pregnant women
12from seeking pregnancy and parenting resources. (b) All state agencies shall provide accurate 2 of 2
13and unbiased information about pregnancy and parenting resources available to families,
14including, but not limited to, food assistance and breastfeeding support, parenting support and
15educational assistance, home-based services, financial assistance for childcare, tangible items to
16assist with parenting, counseling, and other essential needed resources. (c) Official governmental
17resources shall provide information about available resources and facilities or non-profits that
18provide pregnancy and parenting resources. Official governmental resources shall not be used to
19discourage women from seeking pregnancy and parenting resources, food assistance &
20breastfeeding support, parenting support and educational assistance, home-based services,
21financial assistance for childcare, tangible items to assist with parenting, and counseling, among
22others. (d) All state agencies shall cease any efforts to dissuade women from accessing support
23from government or non-governmental entities or non-profits that provide resources to pregnant
24or parenting families. Any state agency, including the department of public health, that deals
25with the well-being of pregnant shall equally promote all facilities serving the needs of pregnant
26mothers, including, but not limited to, licensed medical facilities and pregnancy resource centers.
27All state laws or department regulations in conflict with this bill shall be unenforceable under
28state law.
29 Nothing within this bill shall be construed to prevent any non-profit pregnancy support
30center, community center, homeless shelter, church, or pregnancy medical center from filing
31injunctions in the appropriate venue to enforce any section of this bill. SECTION 2. Subsections
32(a) – (c) shall take effect 90 days after the passage of this act. SECTION 3. Subsection (d) of this
33section shall take effect immediately upon passage of this act.