Signed by Governor Charlie Baker

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a special commission to examine and make recommendations to reduce racial inequalities in maternal health.

Highlights:

• Establishes a special legislative commission to examine and make recommendations to reduce or eliminate racial inequities in maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity  (Sec. 1).

• Requires the special legislative commission to meet no less than 4 times in communities experiencing high or disparate rates of maternal mortality or severe maternal morbidity in order to gather information and raise awareness on the topic (Sec. 1).

• Requires members of the special commission to have evidence-based or lay knowledge, expertise, or experience related to maternal mortality and must reflect broad racial and geographic diversity in the state, with the majority of members from black or brown communities and representing the communities that are most impacted by inequalities in maternal health outcomes in the state (Sec. 1).

• Defines “maternal mortality” as the death of a woman during pregnancy or within one year of the end of the pregnancy (Sec. 1).

• Requires the commission to investigate and report on (Sec. 1):

• Evidence-based, best or promising practices, including approaches taken by other states or grass-roots organizations to reduce or eliminate racial inequalities in maternal mortality, including but not limited to access to racially and ethnically diverse, culturally competent and affordable doula services, accessibly and affordability of birthing centers and maternal medical homes and the diversity  and cultural competency of maternal health care providers;

• Barriers to accessing prenatal and postpartum care, how the care is delivered and the quality of care;

• How historical and current structural, institutional, and individual forms of racism, including implicit bias or discrimination affect the incidence and prevalence of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in communities of color and potential community level and state level solutions, which may include, information related to mandatory implicit bias training for hospital facilities and birthing centers in the state; 

• The availability of data collected by the state and the Massachusetts maternal mortality and morbidity review committee, including, outpatient date, and identifying what additional data is needed, including data related to family interviews, resources, and staffing;

• The definition of and associated limitations in defining severe maternal morbidity, including:

• What conditions or outcomes constitute severe maternal morbidity;

• Extending the timeframe within which severe maternal morbidity should be measured to one year; and

• Data and screening criteria necessary to track and measure severe maternal morbidity;

• The availability, affordability, and adequacy of of insurance coverage, public or private, relative to prenatal and postpartum care, including, insurance coverage for doula services; 

• Any relevant findings of the health policy commission; and 

• Any other factors that the commission considers relevant to reducing and eliminating racial inequalities in maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in the state.

Full Bill Text