Senate approves maternal health study bill; Webb urges action on racial disparities

The Senate on Feb. 11, 2025 passed legislation (listed in the chamber as Assembly bill 914, an act on the public health law) that requires the New York State Department of Health to evaluate and make recommendations on best birthing practices.

The bill is intended to address maternal mortality and racial disparities in maternal outcomes across New York, a topic that Senator Webb laid out in an explanation of her vote on the floor.

“New York is number 22 in the country for the highest maternal mortality rates,” Senator Webb said on the floor, and she warned that “women of color, particularly black women in New York, are 6 times more likely to die while giving childbirth.” Webb said more than “70 percent of those deaths are preventable.” She described the bill as requiring the Department of Health “to thoroughly evaluate and make recommendations on best birthing practices” and characterized it as a measure to ensure equitable, evidence-based care regardless of “race, income level, or zip code.”

Webb, who identified herself on the floor as the chair of the women's issues committee, said the legislation is “about saving lives and having a more equitable impact on families across our state.” She voted “aye” and encouraged colleagues to do the same. The clerk announced the result as “Ayes, 59. The bill is passed.”