Healthy Mother and Healthy Newborn Ombudsman (S. 717)

This bill would create the Healthy Mother and Healthy Newborn Ombudsman Office within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS). The office would be led by an ombudsman appointed by the Director of DHHS.

Like several anti-abortion bills introduced this session, S. 717 would insert the phrase “preborn human” into state law.

The Healthy Mother and Healthy Newborn Office would:

• maintain records of all state programs that assist parents during pregnancy and infancy;

• refer parents to programs that would be helpful to the parents’ inquiries;

• act as a liaison between programs that are available to parents;

• review and attempt to resolve complaints about the programs available to parents; and

• create written material providing an overview of the services the ombudsman provides.

This bill would also require the Department of Public Health to publish:

• materials that inform women of agencies and services available to assist them through pregnancy, childbirth, and while the child is dependent (including adoption agencies);

• materials informing women of the characteristics of a “preborn human;”

• materials regarding different types of medical abortions and the major risks associated with each procedure;

• materials supporting women with obtaining child support payments;

• a list of healthcare providers and clinics that offer free ultrasounds;

• an explanation of how a woman can calculate the age of her “preborn human;”

• a statement about the contribution each parent makes to a “preborn human”