Relating to evidence-based maternal and infant home visiting services

Sponsored by Sen. Liz Bennett (D), Sen. Tony Bisignano (D), Sen. Matt Blake (D), Sen. Molly Donahue (D), Sen. William A. Dotzler Jr. (D), Sen. Janet Petersen (D), Sen. Art Staed (D), Sen. Thomas Townsend (D), Sen. Zach Wahls (D), Sen. Janice Weiner (D), Sen. Cindy Winckler (D)

Topics:Health care Families & human services Medicaid

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Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedJanuary 23, 2025
Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 30, 2025
Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
Next: Passes the Senate
Next: House committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
Next: Passes the House
Next: To the Governor
Next: Signed into law

Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary Iowa's health and education departments will work together to find more ways to pay for home visiting services for pregnant women and infants. These programs aim to support healthy pregnancies and help babies grow well by providing medical, mental health, and educational help at home. The state will also look into using Medicaid funds to cover more of these services and will report on how many people were helped by 2026.¹

Read the official explanation

This bill requires the department of health and human services to engage in a cross-agency collaboration with the department of education to identify and leverage funding sources and opportunities, including Medicaid, to expand evidence-based home visiting services for women and infants that promote healthy pregnancies, positive birth outcomes, and healthy infant growth and development. The departments shall involve key stakeholders in designing evidence-based home visiting services for women prenatally, throughout the pregnancy, and postpartum, and shall include mental and physical health, social, educational, and other services and interventions. The departments may conduct a feasibility study to consider options to increase Medicaid coverage and funding of evidence-based home visiting services, either through a state plan amendment or waiver. The department of health and human services shall seek federal approval of any Medicaid state plan amendment or waiver necessary to administer the bill. The department of health and human services shall submit a report to the general assembly by July 1, 2026, with the number of individuals who received evidence-based home visiting services as a result of the funding sources and opportunities identified and leveraged.

Full bill text²

Senate subcommittee

Named January 30, 2025. It hasn’t reported yet.

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Lobbying

8 for · 0 against · 1 undecided · Who →

Family tree

Tried before

SF 2007Cleared committee89th GA SF 52Cleared committee90th GA

91st General Assembly

SF 131Cleared committee

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

Tried before

This idea has been filed in 2 earlier General Assemblies. None got through a chamber.

SF 52 Relating to evidence-based maternal and infant home visiting services
90th General Assembly · In committee · very similar
Cleared committee
SF 2007 Relating to evidence-based maternal and infant home visiting services
89th General Assembly · In committee · similar
Cleared committee

Matched by wording or an identical title.