HB 24-1262

House Bill 24-1262, known as the Maternal Health Midwives Act, aims to improve maternal health care in Colorado by involving midwives in key advisory roles and ensuring hospitals provide advance notice before cutting maternity services. The bill also requires state agencies to study issues related to maternity care closures and shortages, and to develop guidelines for improving outcomes during such changes. Signed into law on June 4, 2024, the act is now effective, meaning its provisions are in place and being implemented by relevant government bodies.

Official Summary

The act: Requires the Colorado civil rights commission to establish certain parameters when receiving reports for maternity care; Adds a midwife to the environmental justice advisory board and the governor's expert emergency epidemic response committee and adds midwifery as a preferred area of expertise for members of the health equity commission; and Requires a health facility that provides maternal health-care services to notify certain individuals at least 90 days before eliminating the services. The act also allows the department of public health and environment (department) to contract with a third-party evaluator to complete the following tasks and make appropriate recommendations: Study closures, consolidations, and acquisitions related to perinatal health-care practices and facilities and perinatal state-designated health professional shortage areas and assets and deficits related to perinatal health and health-care services across the state, not limited to obstetric providers; Identify major outcome categories that the department should track over time and identify risks and opportunities; Explore the effects of practice and facility closures (closures) on maternal and infant health outcomes and experiences; Identify recommendations and best practice guidelines during closures and resultant transfers of care; and Create a health professional shortage area and perinatal health services assets and deficits map. APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 4, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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