The 2024 Kentucky legislative session ended Sine Die on Monday, April 15. Below is a recap of how Kentucky Birth Coalition’s priority bills ended for the session.
HB199 and SB103 were companion bills relating to freestanding birth centers. HB199 is the bill that saw movement this session making more progress than any previous piece of birth center legislation. HB199 was able to pass out of the House, but did not make it out of the Senate. It was assigned to the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee on April 15, but there was not enough time for it to have a hearing and pass the full Senate. This was great progress, and a solid foundation to build on for 2025.
SB89 was legislation pertaining to Medicaid coverage for Licensed Certified Professional Midwifery services. 2024 marked the second year for this piece of legislation, and the first year that it advanced. SB89 passed out of the Senate and out of the House Health Services Committee. It was then recommitted to the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee, where it remained until the end of the session.
Two other bills on which Kentucky Birth Coalition advocated were joined together for final passage. SB74 began as a bill relating to maternal health sponsored by Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer. SB74 makes the existing state maternal mortality review committee permanent and it requires online reporting by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services of certain birth outcomes and interventions. HB10, known as the “Momnibus” bill sponsored by Rep. Kim Moser, was a large bill containing several provisions relating to maternal health. HB10 included making pregnancy a qualifying event for insurance plans, expanding the HANDS program, expanding Medicaid coverage for lactation supplies and support, a provider hotline for maternal mental health, and a doula study. At the end of the session, HB10 was added to SB74, and they passed as one combined bill. The governor signed the expanded SB74 into law on April 18.
The next legislative session will begin in January 2025. Until then, work will continue in what is known as the “interim” period. Starting in June, legislative committees from both chambers will meet jointly to preview issues that they may consider in 2025, and other special task forces will also convene. While no official votes are taken and no bills are passed during the interim, it is an important time for work to be done in preparation for the next session.
Both birth centers and LCPM Medicaid coverage will be back for the 2025 legislative session.