Bill > H552

Introduced Session

AN ACT TO ENACT THE NORTH CAROLINA MOMNIBUS ACT. Whereas, every person should be entitled to dignity and respect during and after pregnancy and childbirth, and patients should receive the best care possible regardless of age, race, ethnicity, color, religion, ancestry, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, citizenship, nationality, immigration status, primary language, or language proficiency; and Whereas, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world, where about 700 women die each year from childbirth and another 50,000 suffer from severe complications; and Whereas, according to the North Carolina Maternal Mortality Review and Prevention Committee, sixty-three percent (63%) of all maternal deaths in 2014-2015 were determined to be preventable; and black women are at increased risk to die from pregnancy complications compared to white women; and Whereas, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that the majority of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable; and Whereas, pregnancy-related deaths among black birthing people are also more likely to be miscoded; and Whereas, access to prenatal care, socioeconomic status, and general physical health do not fully explain the disparity seen in maternal mortality and morbidity rates among black individuals, and there is a growing body of evidence that black people are often treated unfairly and unequally in the health care system; and Whereas, implicit bias is a key driver of health disparities in communities of color; and Whereas, health care providers in North Carolina are not required to undergo any implicit bias testing or training; and Whereas, currently there does not exist any system to track the number of incidents where implicit prejudice and implicit stereotypes led to negative birth and maternal health outcomes; and Whereas, it is in the interest of this State to reduce the effects of implicit bias in pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care so that all people are treated with dignity and respect by their health care providers; Now, therefore,

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Vernetta Alston (D)*,  Carla Cunningham (D)*,  Zack Hawkins (D)*,  Julie Von Haefen (D)*,  Eric Ager (D),  John Autry (D),  Amber Baker (D),  Cynthia Ball (D),  Gloristine Brown (D),  Kanika Brown (D),  Terry Brown (D),  Allen Buansi (D),  Deb Butler (D),  Becky Carney (D),  Maria Cervania (D),  Sarah Crawford (D),  Allison Dahle (D),  Rosa Gill (D),  Wesley Harris (D),  Pricey Harrison (D),  Frances Jackson (D),  Joe John (D),  Ya Liu (D),  Tim Longest (D),  Nasif Majeed (D),  Marcia Morey (D),  Lindsey Prather (D),  Renée Price (D),  Charles Smith (D), 

Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (on 04/04/2023)

Official Document