H.R. No. 829 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Black Maternal Health Week is being observed from April 11-17, 2025, to raise awareness of racial disparities in maternal health outcomes and to rally support for efforts to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in Black communities; and WHEREAS, According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women in the United States are two to three times more likely than White women to die from pregnancy-related complications; due in part to this disparity, the nation has the highest maternal mortality rate among all affluent countries; and WHEREAS, In Texas, Black women also suffer from higher maternal death rates than women of other races; among Black women, more than 134 fatalities occur for every 10,000 delivery hospitalizations, compared to the overall state average of approximately 85 fatalities for every 10,000 delivery hospitalizations; the causes of these disproportionate figures include socioeconomic factors, obstacles to health care access, and historical health inequities; and WHEREAS, The CDC has found that over 80 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable; compounding the issue, more than 46 percent of all Texas counties are considered maternity care deserts, exceeding the national average of 33 percent; as a consequence, many Texas women are left without access to nearby hospitals, birthing centers, or obstetric providers, and midwives, doulas, perinatal health workers, and community-based organizations are further hindered by structural hurdles to providing holistic maternity care; and WHEREAS, Black Maternal Health Week was created by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance to make Black maternal health a more urgent priority, and the initiative is returning for its eighth year in 2025 with the theme "Healing Legacies: Strengthening Black Maternal Health Through Collective Action and Advocacy"; and WHEREAS, Addressing maternal health disparities requires ensuring access to quality, affordable health care for everyone, and Black Maternal Health Week serves as an opportune time to reaffirm our commitment to building a future where all mothers, families, and communities thrive; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby recognize April 11-17, 2025, as Black Maternal Health Week and call on all Texans to support the goal of raising the standard of care for mothers in our state and nation. Rose Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw Alders Guillen Morgan Alders Guillen Morgan Alders Guillen Morgan Allen Harless Muñoz Allen Harless Muñoz Allen Harless Muñoz Anchía Harris Noble Anchía Harris Noble Anchía Harris Noble Ashby Harris Davila Olcott Ashby Harris Davila Olcott Ashby Harris Davila Olcott Barry Harrison Oliverson Barry Harrison Oliverson Barry Harrison Oliverson Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr Bernal Hernandez Patterson Bernal Hernandez Patterson Bernal Hernandez Patterson Bhojani Hickland Paul Bhojani Hickland Paul Bhojani Hickland Paul Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso Bowers Holt Perez of Harris Bowers Holt Perez of Harris Bowers Holt Perez of Harris Bryant Hopper Phelan Bryant Hopper Phelan Bryant Hopper Phelan Buckley Howard Pierson Buckley Howard Pierson Buckley Howard Pierson Bucy Hull Plesa Bucy Hull Plesa Bucy Hull Plesa Bumgarner Hunter Raymond Bumgarner Hunter Raymond Bumgarner Hunter Raymond Button Isaac Reynolds Button Isaac Reynolds Button Isaac Reynolds Cain Johnson Richardson Cain Johnson Richardson Cain Johnson Richardson Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos Canales Jones of Harris Romero Canales Jones of Harris Romero Canales Jones of Harris Romero Capriglione Kerwin Rose Capriglione Kerwin Rose Capriglione Kerwin Rose Cole King Rosenthal Cole King Rosenthal Cole King Rosenthal Collier Kitzman Schatzline Collier Kitzman Schatzline Collier Kitzman Schatzline Cook LaHood Schofield Cook LaHood Schofield Cook LaHood Schofield Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft Craddick Lambert Shaheen Craddick Lambert Shaheen Craddick Lambert Shaheen Cunningham Landgraf Shofner Cunningham Landgraf Shofner Cunningham Landgraf Shofner Curry Leach Simmons Curry Leach Simmons Curry Leach Simmons Darby Leo Wilson Slawson Darby Leo Wilson Slawson Darby Leo Wilson Slawson A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico Dorazio Louderback Tepper Dorazio Louderback Tepper Dorazio Louderback Tepper Dutton Lowe Thompson Dutton Lowe Thompson Dutton Lowe Thompson Dyson Lozano Tinderholt Dyson Lozano Tinderholt Dyson Lozano Tinderholt Fairly Lujan Toth Fairly Lujan Toth Fairly Lujan Toth Flores Luther Troxclair Flores Luther Troxclair Flores Luther Troxclair Frank Manuel Turner Frank Manuel Turner Frank Manuel Turner Gámez Martinez VanDeaver Gámez Martinez VanDeaver Gámez Martinez VanDeaver Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell Gates Metcalf Vo Gates Metcalf Vo Gates Metcalf Vo Gerdes Meyer Walle Gerdes Meyer Walle Gerdes Meyer Walle Geren Meza Ward Johnson Geren Meza Ward Johnson Geren Meza Ward Johnson Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton González of Dallas Moody Wilson González of Dallas Moody Wilson González of Dallas Moody Wilson González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 829 was adopted by the House on April 10, 2025, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw Alders Guillen Morgan Allen Harless Muñoz Anchía Harris Noble Ashby Harris Davila Olcott Barry Harrison Oliverson Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr Bernal Hernandez Patterson Bhojani Hickland Paul Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso Bowers Holt Perez of Harris Bryant Hopper Phelan Buckley Howard Pierson Bucy Hull Plesa Bumgarner Hunter Raymond Button Isaac Reynolds Cain Johnson Richardson Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos Canales Jones of Harris Romero Capriglione Kerwin Rose Cole King Rosenthal Collier Kitzman Schatzline Cook LaHood Schofield Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft Craddick Lambert Shaheen Cunningham Landgraf Shofner Curry Leach Simmons Darby Leo Wilson Slawson A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico Dorazio Louderback Tepper Dutton Lowe Thompson Dyson Lozano Tinderholt Fairly Lujan Toth Flores Luther Troxclair Frank Manuel Turner Gámez Martinez VanDeaver Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell Gates Metcalf Vo Gerdes Meyer Walle Geren Meza Ward Johnson Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton González of Dallas Moody Wilson González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener