A 914: Requires the department of health to evaluate and make recommendations related to maternal health care and birthing best practices; repeals certain provisions.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 914 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. CLARK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring the department of health to evaluate and make recommendations related to maternal health care and birthing best practices; to amend a chapter of the laws of 2024 requiring the department of health to convene a maternal health care and birthing standards workgroup, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 7702-A and A. 8207-A, in relation to the effectiveness thereof; and to repeal section 1 of such chapter The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 1 of a chapter of the laws of 2024 requiring the 2 department of health to convene a maternal health care and birthing 3 standards workgroup, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 7702-A 4 and A. 8207-A, is REPEALED. 5 § 2. Subdivisions 3 and 4 of section 2500 of the public health law are 6 renumbered subdivisions 4 and 5 and a new subdivision 3 is added to read 7 as follows: 8 3. a. The commissioner shall, in conjunction with hospitals, obstetri- 9 cians, midwives, doulas, maternal health care provider organizations; 10 mental health care provider organizations; and any additional stakehold- 11 ers that the commissioner deems necessary, evaluate and make recommenda- 12 tions related to the development of maternal health care and birthing 13 best practices which support each patient receiving the highest quality 14 of care. These recommendations shall include, but not be limited to, 15 best practices for every patient to receive: 16 (i) fair, courteous and respectful culturally competent care free of 17 discrimination; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02857-01-5 
 A. 914 2 1 (ii) accurate and judgment-free advice and recommendations that allow 2 for informed decision making and consent regarding care and treatment, 3 including risks, benefits, outcomes and alternative procedures; 4 (iii) clear, concise and easily understood information about their 5 care and treatment outcomes, medical team and birthing options, the 6 policies and procedures of the hospital or birthing center, and 7 resources available to them; 8 (iv) an opportunity to discuss their birthing preferences with their 9 care team and have such preferences documented; and 10 (v) adequate support during their pregnancy, labor and childbirth, 11 including access to doula and mental health services. 12 b. No later than one year after the effective date of this subdivision 13 the commissioner shall publish such recommendations on the department of 14 health's website and update all relevant materials provided to the 15 public through the department to reflect these standards. Such recommen- 16 dations shall be updated at least once after publishing and as necessary 17 thereafter. 18 § 3. Section 2 of a chapter of the laws of 2024 requiring the depart- 19 ment of health to convene a maternal health care and birthing standards 20 workgroup, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 7702-A and A. 21 8207-A, is amended to read as follows: 22 § 2. This act shall take effect on the [ninetieth] one hundred eight- 23 ieth day after it shall have become a law [and shall expire 2 years 24 after such effective date when upon such date the provisions of this act 25 shall be deemed repealed]. 26 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that 27 sections one and two of this act shall take effect on the same date and 28 in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 requiring the 29 department of health to convene a maternal health care and birthing 30 standards workgroup, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 7702-A 31 and A. 8207-A, takes effect.