Bill > S0717

This bill, titled the "Mothers and Preborns Act," establishes the Office of the Healthy Mother and Healthy Newborn Ombudsman within the Department of Public Health to assist parents during pregnancy and infancy. This ombudsman will maintain records of state assistance programs, refer parents to appropriate services, act as a liaison between parents and programs, resolve complaints, and produce a brochure detailing available services, which must be provided to obstetricians and made available at county health offices and online. The bill also amends existing law to clarify that an "unborn child" is included in the definition of "child" for legal purposes, and it modifies provisions related to child support to include financial obligations for pregnancy expenses, such as prenatal costs, birth, and postpartum recovery, from the father to the mother, starting from the date of conception, with specific provisions for cases of rape or incest.