Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes requirements for equity in maternal care, including continuing education requirements, in Colorado.

Highlights:

• Requires a physician, nurse, or nurse aide whose primary practice is in the area of obstetrics to complete at least one continuing education credit hour on the topic of cultural competence and equity in maternal care (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the department of public health and environment (CDPHE), subject to available appropriations, to provide a health survey to all birthing parents and to compile the data (Sec. 3).

• Requires a health facility that provides labor and childbirth services to publicly display in birthing areas a statement on respectful maternity care regarding principles and components, including freedom from harm, privacy, informed consent (Sec. 4).

• Authorizes a birthing parent to have a birthing companion present at the birth (Sec. 4).

• Requires that the maternal health task force established by CDPHE includes at least one Black maternal health advocate (Sec. 5).

• Requires CDPHE to report annually to the general assembly, rather than every 3 years, concerning maternal health outcomes and equity, including outcomes for Black birthing parents and suspected or known causes of any disparate outcomes for Black birthing parents (Sec. 5).

• Requires a health facility to report to CDPHE incidents of severe maternal morbidity or death of a birthing parent for which there is reasonable cause for the health facility to believe that racial discrimination, implicit or explicit bias, negligent clinical decision-making, denial of care, or other inequitable treatment contributed to the severe maternal morbidity or death (Sec. 5).

• Requires CDPHE to investigate such incidents and report to the applicable regulatory board if the investigation reveals that a health-care practitioner may have engaged in the discriminatory or negligent misconduct (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text