Hospitals, advocates urge narrower language on substance‑exposed newborns in HB553 to avoid deterring prenatal care

Medical providers and advocates told a House subcommittee considering House Bill 553 that language about substance‑exposed newborns should be narrowly tailored so it does not deter pregnant people from seeking prenatal care.

"We never wanna create a situation in which we are deterring individuals with substance use disorder from obtaining prenatal care," said Michelle Merritt, president of New Futures, who urged the committee to clarify the statutory language and the intended use of a rebuttable presumption of harm.

Representatives of Dartmouth Health and other hospital systems said their general counsels will read the statute strictly and that ambiguous wording could trigger mandatory referrals from obstetric providers even when a parent is under medical supervision. One Dartmouth Health representative (senior director of government relations) warned that phrasing in current draft language could be interpreted so broadly that hospitals would feel compelled to report pregnancies even when a woman entered treatment late in pregnancy.

DCYF staff and committee members described the bill's intention as an "exposure plus" approach: an infant exposed to substances at birth would be a basis for review only when accompanied by additional concerns — for example lack of medical monitoring, unsafe home conditions, or indicators that the newborn is at imminent risk. "We don't want those calls" for every exposure, Ross said, and the proposed language included a carve‑out for prescribed treatment and monitoring.

Hospitals, advocates and committee members agreed to continue drafting. Dartmouth and New Futures were asked to submit tightened language within two weeks ahead of the next subcommittee meeting; the committee plans to review revisions before taking the bill to an executive session.

Ending: Committee members said they want to preserve access to prenatal care while ensuring newborn safety and asked health systems and advocates to provide specific statutory language and evidence (including state comparisons and data on prenatal care deterrence) before the next meeting.