“Momnibus” bill addition urges women with nonviable pregnancies against abortion.

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**Article Summary (by editpad.org)**

A bipartisan omnibus bill in Kentucky, known as the "momnibus" bill, aimed at lowering maternal mortality and morbidity rates is close to becoming law. The bill, House Bill 10, includes provisions such as establishing pregnancy as a qualifying life event for Medicaid coverage, requiring coverage for lactation services, and offering temporary insurance for pregnant women on private insurance. It also aims to study the benefits of Doula programs and improve wrap-around services for pregnant women to reduce maternal deaths, which are largely preventable.

However, a last-minute committee substitute added an controversial provision that requires health care providers to recommend women with nonviable pregnancies consider carrying those pregnancies to term instead of getting abortions. This change was made without much public discussion, causing some Democrats to express concerns. The bill also includes language from another bill, the "Love Them Both Part II Act," which requires medical providers to offer or refer patients to perinatal palliative care programs for nonviable pregnancies.

Democrats who were part of the working group that produced the bill expressed surprise at the extent of the committee substitute and raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the process. Some, like Rep. Lindsey Burke, criticized the bill for not offering women with nonviable pregnancies the full range of options, including termination, as recommended by medical standards. Other Democrats, while supportive of the bill's maternal health provisions, were troubled by the provision seemingly encouraging women with nonviable pregnancies to continue their pregnancies.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Kim Moser, defended the provision, stating that its intent is to offer patients and families the option of receiving perinatal palliative care without pressuring them in any direction. The bill includes other important provisions, such as expanding access to insurance, lactation support, Doulas, and mental health treatment for pregnant women. It aims to provide comprehensive care for pregnant women and reduce maternal mortality rates in Kentucky.

Despite the controversy surrounding the last-minute changes, the bill is expected to move to the Senate for further votes and potentially become law. It builds upon existing programs and grants in Kentucky aimed at improving maternal health outcomes, such as the Lifeline for Moms Psychiatry Access Program. The goal of the bill is to ensure that mothers and their children receive the best care possible in the state and that maternal mortality rates are reduced through comprehensive support and services.

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