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Committee votes to table bill that would let new mothers opt out of birth worksheets

House Committee on Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs · November 13, 2025

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Summary

The committee voted 17–0 to recommend 'Inexpedient to Legislate' (ITL) on HB621FN after testimony that birth worksheet data are important for public-health programs and the senate version included stronger privacy protections.

The House Health Committee voted 17–0 to recommend ITL (Inexpedient to Legislate) on HB621FN, which would have allowed a subset of parents to opt out of providing birth worksheet information used by public-health programs.

The motion to ITL was made and supported on the grounds that the birth worksheet contains information critical to determining citizenship, tracking birth defects, and supporting public-health programs. The chair and members who chaired the subcommittee said testimony showed significant public-health risk if information were lost.

Representative Lamontagne told the committee that testimony was "overwhelming" that allowing opt-outs would harm public-health programs; sponsors noted the senate counterpart included stronger privacy protections but still recommended ITL in committee.

Clerk roll call recorded a unanimous 17–0 vote to send the bill to ITL. The committee's action effectively prevents HB621FN from advancing as written.