Bill > HB1951

This bill establishes the "Missouri Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act," which introduces several key provisions to improve maternal healthcare and address racial disparities. The bill requires hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities providing perinatal care to implement comprehensive implicit bias training programs for healthcare providers, focusing on identifying unconscious biases, understanding cultural barriers, and improving communication across different racial, ethnic, and gender identities. Healthcare providers must complete initial training and refresher courses every two years. The bill also mandates that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services track and publish data on severe maternal morbidity and pregnancy-related deaths, disaggregating the information by state regions and racial/ethnic identity every three years. Additionally, the bill modifies death certificate reporting requirements to include information about pregnancy status and ensures that hospitals provide patients with written information about their healthcare rights, including the right to be free from discrimination and to participate actively in medical care decisions. The primary goal of this legislation is to reduce healthcare disparities, improve maternal health outcomes, and promote more equitable and culturally sensitive medical care for pregnant individuals.

Health and Social Services

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1951&year=2026&code=R