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Senate committee amends bill to fund burial support and grief resources for women after stillbirth
Summary
The Health and Welfare Committee amended Senate Bill 15‑65 to clarify that the Department of Health may — subject to appropriation — create a voluntary program providing burial assistance and educational/grief-support materials for women who experience stillbirth; the amendment replaces the word “scholarships” with “educational resources” and the bill was referred to Finance.
Senator Lamar introduced Senate Bill 15‑65, which would authorize the Department of Health, subject to appropriation, to create a program that awards grants to women whose pregnancies end in stillbirth to offset burial or disposition costs and to provide informational and grief‑support resources.
"My Senate bill, Senate Bill 15‑65, authorizes the Department of Health to create, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, a program to award grants to women whose pregnancies have ended in stillbirth," Senator Lamar said during the committee meeting. He described both burial support and department‑produced educational materials as the bill’s purpose.
Committee members raised concerns that the bill’s original text used the term “scholarships,” which some lawmakers interpreted as academic aid rather than bereavement or informational supports. Senator Watson and other members asked for clearer language to ensure the program matched the sponsor’s intent.
Grayson Carter of the Department of Health confirmed the drafting did not intend academic scholarships, saying the sponsor and department understood the provision as educational resources and grief supports. Senator Lamar offered the amendment that replaced “scholarships” with language specifying "educational resources, including grief support materials, informational resources related to stillbirth and referrals to available assistance programs." The amendment passed on voice vote, and the committee referred the bill to the Finance Committee for further consideration.
The change leaves program creation optional and subject to future appropriations; the bill as amended authorizes but does not obligate the department to operate the program unless funding is provided.
