Creating the compassion and care for medically challenging pregnancies Act

Topics:Health care Reproductive rights

Same legislation: HF 2395

Write your legislators about it

Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedJanuary 25, 2024
Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 29, 2024
Done: House committeeFebruary 6, 2024
Skipped: Passes the HouseContinued as HF 2395
Next: Senate committee
Next: Passes the Senate
Next: To the Governor
Next: Signed into law

Became HF 2395 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to HF 2395 What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary When a doctor finds out a baby has a fatal medical condition before birth, they can tell the pregnant person about perinatal hospice services. The Department of Health and Human Services will create a list of these services in both English and Spanish and put it on their website. This list will help people find support and information if they choose to continue their pregnancy.¹

Read the official explanation

This bill creates the “Compassion and Care for Medically Challenging Pregnancies Act”. The bill provides definitions for “department”, “health care practitioner”, “lethal fetal anomaly”, and “perinatal hospice service” as used in the bill. The bill provides that a health care practitioner who diagnoses a lethal fetal anomaly may inform the pregnant woman, orally and in person, that perinatal hospice services are available and offer to refer the pregnant woman for such services; or provide the pregnant woman with the list and information sheet regarding available perinatal hospice services compiled and provided by the department of health and human services (HHS). The bill requires HHS to compile a geographically organized list of, and an information sheet regarding, perinatal hospice services available in Iowa and nationally. HHS shall post the list and information sheet, available in both English and Spanish, on HHS’s internet site. The internet site and information sheet shall include a statement indicating that perinatal hospice services are an innovative and compassionate model of support for the pregnant woman who is informed that her baby has a lethal fetal anomaly and chooses to continue her pregnancy; a general description of the perinatal hospice services available; and at the request of a perinatal hospice service included on the list, the perinatal hospice service’s informational materials and contact information, including whether 24-hour perinatal hospice services are available.

Why it matters. Health care practitioners who diagnose a lethal fetal anomaly can inform pregnant women about available perinatal hospice services and provide them with information or referrals. The Department of Health and Human Services will create and post a list of these services, available in English and Spanish, on its website.²

Full bill text³

House subcommittee

Named January 29, 2024. On January 31, 2024 it recommended passage. Vote Total: 2-0.

Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part

1 written public comment to its subcommittee: January 30, 2024 (1) · on the Legislature’s site

Iowa Code it changes

Creates§135S.1 §135S.2 §135S.3

How the Code works⁴

Lobbying

7 for · 0 against · 14 undecided · Who →

Family tree

90th General Assembly

HF 2155Renumbered HF 2395Cleared committeefrom HF 2155

Picked up later

HF 589Renumbered91st GA

Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.

Similar bills

HF 589 Creating the compassion and care for medically challenging pregnancies Act
91st General Assembly · Renumbered as HF 807
Nearly identical

Matched by wording or an identical title.