SB2542 Mississippi Maternal Health Protection Act; enact. |…

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's status as 'Did Not Pass' means that none of its provisions were enacted into law.

Mississippi Maternal Health Protection Act

This bill aims to improve maternal health by requiring public health programs to provide at least one year of postpartum care and mental health services, adopting safety protocols in hospitals, and creating a fund for emergency transportation.

What This Bill Does

Requires public health programs to offer at least one year of postpartum care after giving birth, including help with mental health and substance use treatment.
Asks public hospitals and clinics to make sure new mothers have timely follow-up appointments after they give birth.
Needs public health facilities to adopt safety rules based on evidence for better maternal care and report data about complications to the state health department.
Allows the state health department to create plans that help fix problems in public health facilities if they do not follow safety protocols.
Gives a committee the job of looking into all pregnancy-related deaths, finding reasons why these deaths happen, and suggesting ways to prevent them.

Who It Names or Affects

New mothers who receive care from public health programs or hospitals in Mississippi.
Public health facilities that provide maternal health services.
The state Department of Health which will oversee the implementation of safety protocols and manage a new emergency transportation fund.

Terms To Know

Maternal health services: Care for women before, during, and after pregnancy, including mental health support and family planning.
Rural maternity care desert: An area in Mississippi where there is a lack of access to obstetric (pregnancy-related) services.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass and was not signed into law.
It would have taken effect on July 1, 2026, but since it did not pass, these changes never happened.

Official Summary Text

Mississippi Maternal Health Protection Act; enact.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

S. B. No. 2542 *SS26/R464.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Public Health and
Welfare
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Gillespie Isom

SENATE BILL NO. 2542

AN ACT TO ENACT THE MISSISSIPPI MATERNAL HEALTH PROTECTION 1
ACT; TO REQUIRE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE A MINIMUM OF 12 2
MONTHS OF POSTPARTUM CARE, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE 3
USE TREATMENT; TO REQUIRE TIMELY POSTPARTUM FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS 4
BY PUBLIC HOSPITALS AND CLINICS; TO REQUIRE PUBLIC HEALTH 5
FACILITIES TO ADOPT CERTAIN EVIDENCE-BASED MATERNAL SAFETY 6
PROTOCOLS AND TO REPORT MATERNAL MORBIDITY DATA TO THE DEPARTMENT; 7
TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLANS FOR 8
PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES THAT FAIL TO IMPLEMENT SAFETY PROTOCOLS; 9
TO AUTHORIZE THE MATERNAL MORTALITY REVIEW COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED 10
UNDER SECTION 41-112-1 TO REVIEW ALL PREGNANCY-RELATED DEATHS 11
WITHIN THE STATE, TO IDENTIFY SYSTEMIC CAUSES ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH 12
DEATHS AND TO PUBLISH AN ANNUAL REPORT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 13
PREVENTING SUCH DEATHS; TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH A 14
MATERNAL EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION FUND AND TO OUTLINE OBJECTIVES 15
AND APPROVED FUND USES; TO SET FORTH LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; TO 16
DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 17
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 18
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 19
"Mississippi Maternal Health Protection Act." 20
SECTION 2. The Legislature finds that Mississippi 21
consistently faces high maternal mortality rates, with women from 22
rural and low-income communities experiencing the highest risks. 23
It is the intent of the Legislature to reduce preventable maternal 24
deaths, expand access to timely medical care, strengthen hospital 25
S. B. No. 2542 *SS26/R464.1* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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safety standards, and ensure that every mother in Mississippi has 26
access to safe and reliable maternal health services. 27
SECTION 3. As used in this act, the following terms shall 28
have the meaning ascribed herein: 29
(a) "Department" means the Mississippi State Department 30
of Health. 31
(b) "Maternal health services" means prenatal, labor 32
and delivery, postpartum, mental-health and family-planning 33
services. 34
(c) "Rural maternity care desert" means any county or 35
area designated by the department as lacking access to obstetric 36
services. 37
SECTION 4. (1) By January 1, 2027, the department shall 38
ensure that public health programs provide access to a minimum of 39
twelve (12) months of postpartum care, including mental health and 40
substance use treatment. 41
(2) Public health facilities must guarantee timely 42
postpartum follow-up appointments, including virtual options where 43
appropriate. 44
SECTION 5. (1) A public health facility must adopt and 45
implement evidence-based maternal safety protocols, including, but 46
not limited to, the following: 47
(a) Hemorrhage management; 48
(b) Hypertension in pregnancy; and 49
(c) Emergency obstetric transport procedures. 50
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(2) Public health facilities shall report maternal morbidity 51
data to the department to support prevention efforts. 52
(3) Beginning on January 1, 2027, the department may issue 53
corrective action plans for public health facilities that fail to 54
implement safety protocols required under subsection (1) of this 55
section. 56
SECTION 6. (1) The Maternal Mortality Review Committee 57
established under Section 41-112-1 is hereby authorized to: 58
(a) Review all pregnancy-related deaths within the 59
state; 60
(b) Identify systemic causes associated with 61
pregnancy-related deaths, including, but not limited to, 62
transportation barriers, rural maternity care deserts, rural 63
access issues and racial disparities; and 64
(c) Publish an annual report with recommendations for 65
preventing pregnancy-related deaths. 66
(2) Identifiable patient information reviewed under this 67
section shall be confidential and exempt from public disclosure. 68
SECTION 7. (1) By January 1, 2027, the department shall 69
establish a Maternal Emergency Transportation Fund to assist with 70
the following: 71
(a) The development of rapid-response emergency plans 72
for obstetric emergencies by rural counties; and 73
(b) Agreements between facilities for maternal transfer 74
when higher level care is needed. 75
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ST: Mississippi Maternal Health Protection Act;
enact.
(2) Funds may be used for ambulances, telehealth triage 76
equipment and staff training. 77
(3) The fund shall consist of legislative appropriations, 78
any federal grants related to maternal health and any private 79
contributions. 80
(4) Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a 81
fiscal year shall not lapse, and any interest earned or investment 82
earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited into the fund. 83
SECTION 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from 84
and after July 1, 2026. 85