Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Maternal Health Surveillance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee votes to continue pregnancy risk survey in state law and rename program to monitor maternal and infant outcomes
Summary
House Bill 26‑21 will direct the Department of Health to continue the PRAMS pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system, rename it the Survey to Assess Maternal and Infant Outcome Measures, and allow prenatal and postnatal data use for reports and research; the committee reported the bill as amended (25–1).
Committee staff explained that House Bill 26‑21 would direct the Department of Health to continue the pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system (PRAMS), rename it the Survey to Assess Maternal and Infant Outcome Measures, and explicitly permit collection and use of pregnancy, prenatal and postnatal data for reports and research.
Sponsors and members said PRAMS has been used for nearly 20 years to guide policy on maternal and infant health, citing improvements in prenatal care access and infant‑safe‑sleep campaigns in other states. Members discussed that the CDC is moving much of PRAMS’s operational role to states and the measure would ensure Pennsylvania continues the surveillance. The committee voted to report the bill as amended, with the roll call recorded as 25 in favor and 1 opposed.
Next steps: House Bill 26‑21 was reported as amended and will proceed according to chamber rules.
