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UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1658
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A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Infant Mortality Task Force. 1
WHEREAS, the United States has the highest infant mortality and maternal 2
mortality rates out of any other high-income country and spends the most on health care; 3
and 4
WHEREAS, in the first year of life, over 20,000 infants died in the United States, 5
including 342 in Kentucky in 2023; and 6
WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prev ention (CDC), 7
the leading causes of infant mortality are birth defects, low birthweight and preterm birth, 8
maternal pregnancy complications, sudden infant death syndrome, and unintentional 9
injuries; and 10
WHEREAS, Kentucky's infant mortality rate was 6.6 de aths per 1,000 births in 11
2023, an increase from 5.8 in 2022 according to data from the CDC; and 12
WHEREAS, the preterm birth rate in Kentucky was 11.3 percent per 1,000 births in 13
2023, and data from the CDC showed a decline from 11.7 percent in 2022; and 14
WHEREAS, from 2021 to 2023 the infant mortality rate for black infants was 10.3 15
per 1,000 births compared to 5.5 for white infants and 6.7 for Hispanic infants; and 16
WHEREAS, Kentucky's rate of maternal mortality is 38.4 per 100,000 births in 17
2023 compared to 18.6 for the United States in 2023; and 18
WHEREAS, Kentucky scores poorly on several measures for maternal 19
vulnerability, including socioeconomic determinants, reproductive health care, mental 20
health issues, and substance abuse; and 21
WHEREAS, Kentucky has made several policy improvements in recent years, 22
including extended Medicaid coverage for new mothers and increased access to prenatal 23
care; and 24
WHEREAS, possible policy options to continue improvements and address the 25
racial gap in infant and maternal deaths may include expanding access to birthi ng centers 26
and providing Medicaid reimbursement for doulas; and 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1658
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WHEREAS, listening to women's maternity experiences in Kentucky and exploring 1
best practices in other states may provide additional policy recommendations; 2
NOW, THEREFORE, 3
Be it resolved by th e House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the 4
Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Senate concurring therein: 5
Section 1. The Legislative Research Commission shall establish the Infant 6
Mortality Task Force to review factors influencing infant mortality and make 7
recommendations to decrease the rate of infant mortality in the Commonwealth. 8
Section 2. The duties of the Infant Mortality Task Force shall include but are 9
not limited to: 10
(1) Reviewing research that examines the connections between a mother's health 11
before, during, and between pregnancies, as well as that of her child across the course of 12
the child's life; 13
(2) Reviewing comprehensive data on infant mortality deaths and pregnancy 14
complications, including data disaggregated by race, geography, and socioeconomic 15
status; 16
(3) Reviewing research and listening to women's maternity exper iences to 17
identify best practices and effective interventions for improving the quality and safety of 18
maternity care and reducing infant mortality; and 19
(4) Making recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission, the 20
Cabinet for Health and Family Ser vices, and any other relevant executive branch agency, 21
including but not limited to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, the Public Protection 22
Cabinet, the Cabinet for Economic Development, and the Education and Labor Cabinet, 23
to improve health care and social, economic, and environmental conditions that may 24
improve maternal health and decrease infant mortality. 25
Section 3. The Infant Mortality Task Force shall be composed of the following 26
members, with final membership of the task force being subject to the consideration and 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1658
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approval of the Legislative Research Commission: 1
(1) Three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of 2
the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be designated by the Spe aker of the 3
House of Representatives as a co-chair of the task force; 4
(2) One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Floor 5
Leader of the House of Representatives; 6
(3) Three members of the Senate appointed by the President of the S enate, one of 7
whom shall be designated by the President of the Senate as a co -chair of the task force; 8
and 9
(4) One member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Floor Leader of the 10
Senate. 11
Section 4. The Infant Mortalit y Task Force shall meet monthly during the 2026 12
Interim of the General Assembly. The task force shall submit findings and 13
recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the appropriate 14
committee or committees by December 1, 2026. 15
Section 5. Provisions of this Resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the 16
Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the 17
issues identified herein to an interim joint committee or s ubcommittee thereof, and to 18
designate a study completion date. 19