SCR 9: Maternal Health Awareness Day.
- Session Year: 2025-2026
- House: Senate
- Latest Version Date: 2025-02-21
Current Status:
Passed
(2025-02-21: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 10, Statutes of 2025.)
Introduced
In Committee
Awaiting First Chamber Vote
Passed First Chamber
In Committee
Awaiting Second Chamber Vote
Passed Second Chamber
Enacted
This measure would proclaim January 23, 2025, as Maternal Health Awareness Day.
This measure would proclaim January 23, 2025, as Maternal Health Awareness Day.
This measure would proclaim January 23, 2025, as Maternal Health Awareness Day.
WHEREAS, The United States ranks highest among industrialized nations in maternal mortality; and
WHEREAS, More than 700 women die each year in the United States as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications, and more than one-half of these deaths are preventable; and
WHEREAS, While the national maternal mortality rate continues to rise, California continues to work diligently and successfully to reverse this alarming trend; and
WHEREAS, The California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), a multistakeholder organization committed to ending preventable morbidity, mortality, and racial disparities in California maternity care, was founded in 2006 at Stanford University School of Medicine, in coordination with the California Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review (CA-PAMR) and the Public Health Institute, in response to rising maternal mortality and morbidity rates; and
WHEREAS, CMQCC uses research, quality improvement toolkits, statewide outreach collaboratives, and its innovative Maternal Data Center to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants; and
WHEREAS, Since the inception of CMQCC and CA-PAMR, California has recorded a maternal mortality decline by 55 percent from 2006 to 2013, inclusive, and has successfully decreased the maternal mortality rate to seven deaths per 100,000 live births; and
WHEREAS, Californias pregnancy-related mortality ratio (PRMR) began to rise gradually in 2013 and peaked in 2018 at 16.1 deaths per 100,000 live births, but fell to a rate of 12.8 in 2019, and the California PRMR was consistently lower than the United States PRMR from 2011 through 2017; and
WHEREAS, Cardiovascular disease continued to be the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths, followed by hemorrhage, sepsis or infection, thrombotic pulmonary embolism, and amniotic fluid embolism from 2017 to 2019, inclusive; and
WHEREAS, Chronic health conditions increase the risk of pregnancy complications, adverse birth outcomes, and pregnancy-related mortality because the physical demands that pregnancy places on the bodys systems can exacerbate existing health conditions; and
WHEREAS, A womans maternal mental health condition can also be a factor in maternal mortality, which makes recent efforts to bring greater awareness to maternal mental health, ensure more women are screened and treated for postpartum depression or psychosis, and ensure more women remain covered by health insurance upon diagnosis essential; and
WHEREAS, Improved screening alone can reduce the severity of postpartum depression, which makes the efforts of obstetric providers, including implementing more aggressive screening techniques and making strides to further recognize and, therefore, treat maternal mental health conditions immensely valuable; and
WHEREAS, While California has set an example for the rest of the country and has made progress to reduce maternal mortality through investment in maternal health programs, strong leadership and engagement of the maternity care community, and targeted hospital quality improvement, more needs to be done to narrow racial and ethnic disparities, especially with Black women, who account for only 5 percent of pregnancies in California but represent 21 percent of pregnancy-related deaths and whose pregnancy-related mortality ratio is three to four times greater than the mortality ratios for women of other racial or ethnic groups, including White, Hispanic, and Asian and Pacific Islander; and
WHEREAS, Since 2012, approximately 60 hospitals have ceased labor and delivery services, with nearly 60 percent of these closures occurring in the last three years, which not only limits options for women to have safe childbirth, but also underscores the urgent need for coordinated care across birthing settings, making it critically important to foster collaboration among hospitals, birthing centers, and community providers, which would enable California to address the systemic inequities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities and ensure equitable access to safe and supportive maternity care for all; and
WHEREAS, The State Department of Public Health must continue its surveillance to bring heightened awareness to maternal health and lower maternal deaths; and
WHEREAS, California must maintain its efforts to maximize health prior to pregnancy, including, but not limited to, preventing smoking, improving fitness, reducing sexually transmitted diseases, and promoting positive relationships; and
WHEREAS, California must continue to address the postpartum needs of women through such efforts as postpartum visits and interconception care, breastfeeding support, and screening for postpartum depression; and
WHEREAS, California should continue to promote positive birth outcomes for all women through actions including maternity care quality improvement and home visiting for vulnerable pregnant women, providing additional support for Black women, and increasing culturally and linguistically relevant public awareness about maternal mental health risk factors, signs, symptoms, treatment, and recovery; and
WHEREAS, California should maintain its efforts to improve the coordination of care between obstetrics and psychiatry regarding mental health treatment, as needed, and to continue advancements for improved screening for mental health conditions during and after pregnancy, as well as screening for substance use, adverse childhood experiences, medical diagnoses, including infectious disease, and intimate partner violence; and
WHEREAS, California should increase its efforts to mitigate the rise in labor and delivery unit closures and to improve access to maternity services; and
WHEREAS, The Legislature seeks to bring awareness to maternal health and continue its work to provide positive outcomes for both the mother and the infant; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims January 23, 2025, as Maternal Health Awareness Day to draw attention to the efforts that have improved maternal health in California and to highlight the need for continued improvement of maternal health for all women; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
WHEREAS, The United States ranks highest among industrialized nations in maternal mortality; and
WHEREAS, More than 700 women die each year in the United States as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications, and more than one-half of these deaths are preventable; and
WHEREAS, While the national maternal mortality rate continues to rise, California continues to work diligently and successfully to reverse this alarming trend; and
WHEREAS, The California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), a multistakeholder organization committed to ending preventable morbidity, mortality, and racial disparities in California maternity care, was founded in 2006 at Stanford University School of Medicine, in coordination with the California Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review (CA-PAMR) and the Public Health Institute, in response to rising maternal mortality and morbidity rates; and
WHEREAS, CMQCC uses research, quality improvement toolkits, statewide outreach collaboratives, and its innovative Maternal Data Center to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants; and
WHEREAS, Since the inception of CMQCC and CA-PAMR, California has recorded a maternal mortality decline by 55 percent from 2006 to 2013, inclusive, and has successfully decreased the maternal mortality rate to seven deaths per 100,000 live births; and
WHEREAS, Californias pregnancy-related mortality ratio (PRMR) began to rise gradually in 2013 and peaked in 2018 at 16.1 deaths per 100,000 live births, but fell to a rate of 12.8 in 2019, and the California PRMR was consistently lower than the United States PRMR from 2011 through 2017; and
WHEREAS, Cardiovascular disease continued to be the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths, followed by hemorrhage, sepsis or infection, thrombotic pulmonary embolism, and amniotic fluid embolism from 2017 to 2019, inclusive; and
WHEREAS, Chronic health conditions increase the risk of pregnancy complications, adverse birth outcomes, and pregnancy-related mortality because the physical demands that pregnancy places on the bodys systems can exacerbate existing health conditions; and
WHEREAS, A womans maternal mental health condition can also be a factor in maternal mortality, which makes recent efforts to bring greater awareness to maternal mental health, ensure more women are screened and treated for postpartum depression or psychosis, and ensure more women remain covered by health insurance upon diagnosis essential; and
WHEREAS, Improved screening alone can reduce the severity of postpartum depression, which makes the efforts of obstetric providers, including implementing more aggressive screening techniques and making strides to further recognize and, therefore, treat maternal mental health conditions immensely valuable; and
WHEREAS, While California has set an example for the rest of the country and has made progress to reduce maternal mortality through investment in maternal health programs, strong leadership and engagement of the maternity care community, and targeted hospital quality improvement, more needs to be done to narrow racial and ethnic disparities, especially with Black women, who account for only 5 percent of pregnancies in California but represent 21 percent of pregnancy-related deaths and whose pregnancy-related mortality ratio is three to four times greater than the mortality ratios for women of other racial or ethnic groups, including White, Hispanic, and Asian and Pacific Islander; and
WHEREAS, Since 2012, approximately 60 hospitals have ceased labor and delivery services, with nearly 60 percent of these closures occurring in the last three years, which not only limits options for women to have safe childbirth, but also underscores the urgent need for coordinated care across birthing settings, making it critically important to foster collaboration among hospitals, birthing centers, and community providers, which would enable California to address the systemic inequities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities and ensure equitable access to safe and supportive maternity care for all; and
WHEREAS, The State Department of Public Health must continue its surveillance to bring heightened awareness to maternal health and lower maternal deaths; and
WHEREAS, California must maintain its efforts to maximize health prior to pregnancy, including, but not limited to, preventing smoking, improving fitness, reducing sexually transmitted diseases, and promoting positive relationships; and
WHEREAS, California must continue to address the postpartum needs of women through such efforts as postpartum visits and interconception care, breastfeeding support, and screening for postpartum depression; and
WHEREAS, California should continue to promote positive birth outcomes for all women through actions including maternity care quality improvement and home visiting for vulnerable pregnant women, providing additional support for Black women, and increasing culturally and linguistically relevant public awareness about maternal mental health risk factors, signs, symptoms, treatment, and recovery; and
WHEREAS, California should maintain its efforts to improve the coordination of care between obstetrics and psychiatry regarding mental health treatment, as needed, and to continue advancements for improved screening for mental health conditions during and after pregnancy, as well as screening for substance use, adverse childhood experiences, medical diagnoses, including infectious disease, and intimate partner violence; and
WHEREAS, California should increase its efforts to mitigate the rise in labor and delivery unit closures and to improve access to maternity services; and
WHEREAS, The Legislature seeks to bring awareness to maternal health and continue its work to provide positive outcomes for both the mother and the infant; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims January 23, 2025, as Maternal Health Awareness Day to draw attention to the efforts that have improved maternal health in California and to highlight the need for continued improvement of maternal health for all women; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
WHEREAS, The United States ranks highest among industrialized nations in maternal mortality; and
WHEREAS, More than 700 women die each year in the United States as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications, and more than one-half of these deaths are preventable; and
WHEREAS, While the national maternal mortality rate continues to rise, California continues to work diligently and successfully to reverse this alarming trend; and
WHEREAS, The California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), a multistakeholder organization committed to ending preventable morbidity, mortality, and racial disparities in California maternity care, was founded in 2006 at Stanford University School of Medicine, in coordination with the California Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review (CA-PAMR) and the Public Health Institute, in response to rising maternal mortality and morbidity rates; and
WHEREAS, CMQCC uses research, quality improvement toolkits, statewide outreach collaboratives, and its innovative Maternal Data Center to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants; and
WHEREAS, Since the inception of CMQCC and CA-PAMR, California has recorded a maternal mortality decline by 55 percent from 2006 to 2013, inclusive, and has successfully decreased the maternal mortality rate to seven deaths per 100,000 live births; and
WHEREAS, Californias pregnancy-related mortality ratio (PRMR) began to rise gradually in 2013 and peaked in 2018 at 16.1 deaths per 100,000 live births, but fell to a rate of 12.8 in 2019, and the California PRMR was consistently lower than the United States PRMR from 2011 through 2017; and
WHEREAS, Cardiovascular disease continued to be the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths, followed by hemorrhage, sepsis or infection, thrombotic pulmonary embolism, and amniotic fluid embolism from 2017 to 2019, inclusive; and
WHEREAS, Chronic health conditions increase the risk of pregnancy complications, adverse birth outcomes, and pregnancy-related mortality because the physical demands that pregnancy places on the bodys systems can exacerbate existing health conditions; and
WHEREAS, A womans maternal mental health condition can also be a factor in maternal mortality, which makes recent efforts to bring greater awareness to maternal mental health, ensure more women are screened and treated for postpartum depression or psychosis, and ensure more women remain covered by health insurance upon diagnosis essential; and
WHEREAS, Improved screening alone can reduce the severity of postpartum depression, which makes the efforts of obstetric providers, including implementing more aggressive screening techniques and making strides to further recognize and, therefore, treat maternal mental health conditions immensely valuable; and
WHEREAS, While California has set an example for the rest of the country and has made progress to reduce maternal mortality through investment in maternal health programs, strong leadership and engagement of the maternity care community, and targeted hospital quality improvement, more needs to be done to narrow racial and ethnic disparities, especially with Black women, who account for only 5 percent of pregnancies in California but represent 21 percent of pregnancy-related deaths and whose pregnancy-related mortality ratio is three to four times greater than the mortality ratios for women of other racial or ethnic groups, including White, Hispanic, and Asian and Pacific Islander; and
WHEREAS, Since 2012, approximately 60 hospitals have ceased labor and delivery services, with nearly 60 percent of these closures occurring in the last three years, which not only limits options for women to have safe childbirth, but also underscores the urgent need for coordinated care across birthing settings, making it critically important to foster collaboration among hospitals, birthing centers, and community providers, which would enable California to address the systemic inequities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities and ensure equitable access to safe and supportive maternity care for all; and
WHEREAS, The State Department of Public Health must continue its surveillance to bring heightened awareness to maternal health and lower maternal deaths; and
WHEREAS, California must maintain its efforts to maximize health prior to pregnancy, including, but not limited to, preventing smoking, improving fitness, reducing sexually transmitted diseases, and promoting positive relationships; and
WHEREAS, California must continue to address the postpartum needs of women through such efforts as postpartum visits and interconception care, breastfeeding support, and screening for postpartum depression; and
WHEREAS, California should continue to promote positive birth outcomes for all women through actions including maternity care quality improvement and home visiting for vulnerable pregnant women, providing additional support for Black women, and increasing culturally and linguistically relevant public awareness about maternal mental health risk factors, signs, symptoms, treatment, and recovery; and
WHEREAS, California should maintain its efforts to improve the coordination of care between obstetrics and psychiatry regarding mental health treatment, as needed, and to continue advancements for improved screening for mental health conditions during and after pregnancy, as well as screening for substance use, adverse childhood experiences, medical diagnoses, including infectious disease, and intimate partner violence; and
WHEREAS, California should increase its efforts to mitigate the rise in labor and delivery unit closures and to improve access to maternity services; and
WHEREAS, The Legislature seeks to bring awareness to maternal health and continue its work to provide positive outcomes for both the mother and the infant; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims January 23, 2025, as Maternal Health Awareness Day to draw attention to the efforts that have improved maternal health in California and to highlight the need for continued improvement of maternal health for all women; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
|
Date
|
Status
|
|---|---|
| Feb 21, 2025 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 10, Statutes of 2025. |
| Feb 21, 2025 | Enrolled and filed with the Secretary of State at 2 p.m. |
| Feb 14, 2025 | In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Feb 14, 2025 | Read. Adopted. (Page 356.) Ordered to the Senate. |
| Feb 10, 2025 | From committee: Be adopted. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (February 10). |
| Feb 10, 2025 | Referred to Com. on RLS. |
| Jan 27, 2025 | In Assembly. Held at Desk. |
| Jan 27, 2025 | Read. Adopted. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 109.) Ordered to the Assembly. |
| Jan 22, 2025 | From committee: Ordered to third reading. |
| Jan 6, 2025 | Introduced. Referred to Com. on RLS. |
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Date
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Description
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Location
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Votes
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 10, 2025 | Be adopted. To Consent Calendar. | Assembly Standing Committee on Rules |
Passed |
|
| Jan 27, 2025 | Senate 3rd Reading SCR9 Weber Pierson | Senate Floor |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
Date of Hearing: February 10, 2025
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES
Blanca Pacheco, Chair
SBPCA Bill Id:SCR 9
Author:(Weber Pierson) – As Introduced Ver:
SENATE VOTE:
SUBJECT: Maternal Health Awareness Day.
SUMMARY: Proclaims January 23, 2025, as Maternal Health Awareness Day, to draw attention to the efforts that have improved maternal health in California and to highlight the need for continued improvement of maternal health for all women. Specifically, this resolution makes the following legislative findings:
- The United States ranks highest among industrialized nations in maternal mortality.
- While the national maternal mortality rate continues to rise, California continues to work diligently and successfully to reverse this alarming trend.
- The California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), a multi-stakeholder organization committed to ending preventable morbidity, mortality, and racial disparities in California maternity care, was founded in 2006 at Stanford University School of Medicine, in coordination with the California Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review (CA-PAMR) and the Public Health Institute, in response to rising maternal mortality and morbidity rates.
- The CMQCC uses research, quality improvement toolkits, statewide outreach collaboratives, and its innovative Maternal Data Center to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants.
- A woman’s maternal mental health condition can also be a factor in maternal mortality. Recent efforts have been made to bring greater awareness to maternal mental health, ensure more women are screened and treated for postpartum depression or psychosis, and ensure women remain covered by health insurance upon diagnosis.
- Improved screening alone can reduce the severity of postpartum depression. Obstetric providers are implementing more aggressive screening techniques and making strides to further recognize and treat maternal mental health conditions.
- The State Department of Public Health must continue its surveillance to bring heightened awareness to maternal health and lower maternal deaths.
- California must maintain its efforts to maximize health prior to pregnancy, including, but not limited to, preventing smoking, improving fitness, reducing sexually transmitted diseases, and promoting positive relationships; and, must continue to address the postpartum needs of women through such efforts as postpartum visits and interconception care, breastfeeding support, and screening for postpartum depression.
- California should maintain its efforts to improve the coordination of care between obstetrics and psychiatry regarding mental health treatment, as needed, and to continue advancements for improved screening for mental health conditions during and after pregnancy, as well as screening for substance use, adverse childhood experiences, medical diagnoses, including infectious disease, and intimate partner violence.
FISCAL EFFECT: This resolution is keyed non-fiscal by Legislative Counsel.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by: Michael Erke / RLS. / (916) 319-2800
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE Office of Senate Floor Analyses (916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478 | SCR 9 |
THIRD READING
Bill No: SCR 9
Author: Weber Pierson (D)
Introduced: 1/6/25
Vote: 21
SUBJECT: Maternal Health Awareness Day
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST:
This resolution proclaims January 23, 2025, as Maternal Health Awareness Day.
ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative findings:
- The California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), a multistakeholder organization committed to ending preventable morbidity, mortality, and racial disparities in California maternity care, was founded in 2006 at Stanford University School of Medicine, in coordination with the California Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review (CA-PAMR) and the Public Health Institute, in response to rising maternal mortality and morbidity rates.
- A woman’s maternal mental health condition can also be a factor in maternal mortality, which makes recent efforts to bring greater awareness to maternal mental health, ensure more women are screened and treated for postpartum depression or psychosis, and ensure more women remain covered by health insurance upon diagnosis essential.
- California must maintain its efforts to maximize health prior to pregnancy, including, but not limited to, preventing smoking, improving fitness, reducing sexually transmitted diseases, and promoting positive relationships.
- California must continue to address the postpartum needs of women through such efforts as postpartum visits and interconception care, breastfeeding support, and screening for postpartum depression.
- California should maintain its efforts to improve the coordination of care between obstetrics and psychiatry regarding mental health treatment, as needed, and to continue advancements for improved screening for mental health conditions during and after pregnancy, as well as screening for substance use, adverse childhood experiences, medical diagnoses, including infectious disease, and intimate partner violence.
Related/Prior Legislation
ACR 122 (Aguiar-Curry, Resolution Chapter 17, Statutes of 2024).
ACR 2 (Weber, Resolution Chapter 3, Statutes of 2023).
ACR 120 (Bauer-Kahan, Resolution Chapter 14, Statutes of 2022).
HR 11 (Bauer-Kahan, 2021) – Adopted by the Assembly.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No
SUPPORT: (Verified 1/17/25)
None received
OPPOSITION: (Verified 1/17/25)
None received
Prepared by: Aizenia Randhawa / SFA / (916) 651-1520
1/22/25 13:41:14
**** END ****
Bill Author
Bill Co-Author(s):