The BUMP Act.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 909

Short Title: The BUMP Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Murdock, Salvador, and Chitlik (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
April 30, 2026
*S909-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALT H AND HUMAN SERVICES TO 2
PROVIDE FREE EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION AND TRAINING ON STILLBIRTH 3
PREVENTION; AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 4
AND HUMAN SERVICES, DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH, TO LAUNCH A 5
STATEWIDE "COUNT THE KICKS" PROGRAM. 6
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 7
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PART I. TITLE 9
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "The Building 10
Understanding of Movement in Pregnancy Act" or "The BUMP Act." 11
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PART II. STILLBIRTH PREVENTION EDUCATION AL INFORMATION AND 13
TRAINING 14
SECTION 2.1. Article 5 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes is amended by 15
adding a new section to read: 16
"§ 130A-128.10. Department to provide free educational i nformation and training on 17
stillbirth prevention. 18
(a) Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section: 19
(1) Evidence-based stillbirth prevention education. – Education grounded in 20
current clinical guidance and peer -reviewed evidence regarding modifiable 21
stillbirth risk factors, including, but not limited to, fetal movement education, 22
infection screening, hypertensive disorders, diabetes, smoking and substance 23
exposure, placental insufficiency, and umbilical cord complications. 24
(2) Fetal movement education. – Standardized counseling beginning no later than 25
28 weeks of gestation on the importance of monitoring fetal movement and 26
the steps to take if movement decreases or changes, including same -day 27
clinical evaluation. 28
(3) High-disparity area. – Any county, region, or zip code identified by the 29
Department as having stillbirth rates above the statewide average, including 30
disproportionate impact on minority populations and other underrepresented 31
groups. 32
(4) Stillbirth or fetal death. – The death of a fetus at or after 20 weeks of gestation, 33
excluding an induced termination of pregnancy. 34
(b) Educational Materials for Pregnant Patients. – The Department shall provide all 35
pregnant patients in North Carolina with standardized, evidence -based educational materials on 36
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 909-First Edition
stillbirth prevention and urgent maternal and fetal warning signs during prenatal care. The 1
Department shall provide these educational materials statewide in English and Spanish, plus 2
other languages as community needs require. At a minimum, these educational materi als shall 3
include all of the following: 4
(1) Guidance on fetal movement education and when to seek urgent evaluation 5
for decreased fetal movement. 6
(2) Information on maternal warning signs that require immediate care, including, 7
but not limited to , severe headache, vision changes, chest pain, shortness of 8
breath, heavy bleeding, fever, and severe abdominal pain. 9
(3) Information on stillbirth risk factors and prevention strategies, including the 10
role of infections, hypertension, diabetes, sleep position, smok ing, and 11
substance exposure. 12
(4) Clear instructions for how to contact the prenatal care team after hours and 13
how to access urgent evaluation. 14
(5) Materials in English and Spanish statewide, with additional languages as 15
needed based on community need. 16
The Department may satisfy this requirement through contracts or partnerships with qualified 17
organizations, including community -based organizations , with demonstrated expertise in 18
conducting statewide stillbirth prevention education and multilingual outreach. 19
(c) Required Provider Training. – The Department shall develop or procure 20
evidence-based training for prenatal care providers on stillbirth prevention protocols. The 21
training shall include, at a minimum, all of the following: 22
(1) Standardized fetal movemen t education and documentation requirements 23
beginning no later than 28 weeks. 24
(2) Clinical response protocols for decreased fetal movement, including same-day 25
assessment and escalation pathways. 26
(3) Recognition and management of infection -related stillbirth risks, including 27
screening and treatment guidance for syphilis and other infections consistent 28
with clinical standards. 29
(4) Recognition of placental and umbilical cord -related risk factors and when to 30
increase surveillance in the third trimester. 31
The Department shall make this training available in both virtual and in-person formats and 32
may satisfy this requirement through contracts or partnerships with qualified organizations 33
capable of conducting statewide training that meets the requirements of this section." 34
SECTION 2.2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 35
Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of four hundred thousand dollars 36
($400,000) in recurring funds beginning in the 2026-2027 fiscal year to be allocated and used as 37
follows: 38
(1) Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) to provide evidence -based 39
educational materials on stillbirth prevention and urgent maternal and fetal 40
warning signs to pregnant patients during prenatal care, as required b y 41
G.S. 130A-128.10(b), as enacted by Section 2.1 of this act. 42
(2) Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) to develop or procure 43
evidence-based training for prenatal care providers on stillbirth prevention 44
protocols, as required by G.S. 130A-128.10(c), as e nacted by Section 2.1 of 45
this act. 46
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PART III. COUNT THE KICKS PROGRAM 48
SECTION 3.1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 49
Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, the sum of two hundred thousand dollars 50
($200,000) in recurring funds beginning in the 2026 -2027 fiscal year to launch a statewide 51
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Senate Bill 909-First Edition Page 3
"Count the Kicks" stillbirth prevention public awareness campaign. The purpose of this public 1
awareness campaign is to educate expectant parents, healthcare and social services p roviders, 2
and community-based organizations focused on caring for pregnant women about the importance 3
of tracking fetal movement during the third trimester of pregnancy. In conducting this public 4
awareness campaign, the Department shall prioritize outreach in high-disparity areas. In addition 5
to covering the costs of establishing and operating the program, these funds shall be used to do 6
all of the following: 7
(1) Provide training to healthcare providers, including obstetricians, obstetrical 8
nurses, visiting nurses, childbirth educators, doulas, and midwives; providers 9
of social services; and community-based organizations focused on caring for 10
pregnant women. 11
(2) Develop educational materials in both English and Spanish for expectant 12
parents on the importance of tracking fetal movements for stillbirth 13
prevention. 14
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PART IV. EFFECTIVE DATE 16
SECTION 4.1. This act becomes effective July 1, 2026. 17