From Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, October 4, 2021
Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 65, the California Momnibus Act, designed to improve maternal and infant outcomes – particularly for families of color. Authored by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) with support from maternal health and racial justice groups across the state, the bill will improve research and data collection on racial and socio-economic factors that contribute to higher rates of maternal and infant mortality in communities of color.
“Every individual deserves to have a healthy pregnancy and birth, and this bill will help make this a reality for more California families,” said Governor Newsom. “It is unacceptable that the maternal and infant mortality rate among Black and Indigenous communities remains significantly higher than the state average. California is committed to tackling discrimination and disparity whenever and wherever it occurs and with today’s signing, we’re doubling down on our commitment to both reproductive and racial justice.”
To close the existing racial gaps in maternal and infant mortality, SB 65 codifies and strengthens the work of the Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review Committee, which will investigate pregnancy-related deaths and make recommendations on best practices to avoid these preventable tragedies; improves data collection in the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review process; creates a fund to support the midwifery workforce, upon appropriation from the Legislature; establishes a stakeholder workgroup to support implementation of the new Medi-Cal doula benefit; and reduces CalWORKs paperwork requirements for pregnant women. Research points to structural racism and other socio-economic factors as playing key roles in causing racial and geographic disparities in birthing outcomes for people of color.
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