---
title: HB 149. Healthy Mothers Now Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb149
cite_as: HB 149, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb149
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb149.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb149/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69571
date: 2025-01-30
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb148.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb150.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb149.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 149
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-01-28
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Imani Barnes
- Carolyn Hugley
- Mary Oliver
- Michelle Au
- Debbie Buckner
- Kimberly Alexander
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB149/2025
upstream_id: 1945118
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- maternal health
- postpartum care
- rural health care
- mobile health clinics
- public health funding
---
# HB 149. Healthy Mothers Now Act; enact
## Text
House Bill 149
By: Representatives Barnes of the 86th, Hugley of the 141st, Oliver of the 84th, Au of the 50th,
Buckner of the 137th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2A of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
Department of Public Health, so as to provide for a three-year pilot program for a mobile
health clinic to provide postpartum care in certain counties; to provide for definitions; to
provide for reports; to provide for contingent effectiveness and automatic repeal; to provide
for related matters; to provide for a short title; to provide for an effective date; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Healthy Mothers Now Act."
SECTION 2.
Chapter 2A of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department
of Public Health, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"31-2A-21.
(a) For purposes of this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Limited maternity care county' means a county in this state that has fewer than two
hospitals or birth centers offering obstetric care or fewer than 60 obstetric providers per
10,000 births.
(2) 'Maternity care desert' means a county in this state that does not have a hospital or
birth center offering obstetric care or an obstetric provider.
(3) 'Obstetric provider' means a licensed physician or licensed advanced practice
registered nurse who practices in obstetrics and gynecology.
(4) 'Postpartum care' means healthcare for a woman for a period of one year following
a birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death. Such term includes physiological
assessments, mental health evaluations, nutritional evaluations, and guidance on personal
and newborn care. Such term includes at least four visits with an obstetric provider as
follows:
(A) An initial visit within 24 hours of a birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death;
(B) A follow-up visit within the first three weeks postpartum;
(C) A follow-up visit within the first eight weeks postpartum;
(D) A comprehensive visit no later than 12 weeks postpartum; and
(E) Intermediary and ongoing care as needed.
(b) The department shall conduct a three-year pilot program for the purpose of providing
postpartum care through mobile health clinics in limited maternity care counties and
maternity care deserts.
(c) No later than June 30, 2026, and annually for the duration of the pilot program, the
department shall submit a detailed written report on the implementation and effectiveness
of the pilot program to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
President of the Senate, and the chairpersons of the House Committee on Public Health and
the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. The final report shall include
recommendations as to expansion of the pilot program state wide and changes to state law
or policy relative to such recommendations.
(d) This Code section shall be contingent upon appropriations made by the General
Assembly specifically for the department for such purposes and shall stand repealed by
operation of law on June 30, 2029."
SECTION 3.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 149 would create a three-year pilot program sending mobile health clinics to provide postpartum care in Georgia counties with few or no obstetric providers, contingent on state funding.
### Plain-language summary
Some Georgia counties have very few hospitals, birth centers, or obstetric providers, making it hard for new mothers to get care after giving birth. House Bill 149, called the Healthy Mothers Now Act, directs the Department of Public Health to run a three-year pilot program using mobile health clinics to deliver postpartum care in these underserved counties.
The bill defines 'limited maternity care counties' (fewer than two hospitals or birth centers with obstetric care, or fewer than 60 obstetric providers per 10,000 births) and 'maternity care deserts' (no hospital, birth center, or obstetric provider at all). Postpartum care under the bill covers a full year after birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death, with at least four required visits at specific intervals. The department must report annually to state leaders on the program's progress, and the whole section only takes effect if the General Assembly specifically funds it, automatically expiring June 30, 2029.
### What it does
- Creates a new Georgia Code section directing the Department of Public Health to run a three-year mobile health clinic pilot program for postpartum care.
- Targets the program at 'limited maternity care counties' and 'maternity care deserts', defined by the number of hospitals, birth centers, and obstetric providers available.
- Requires postpartum care to include at least four obstetric visits over the year following a birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death, at defined time intervals.
- Requires the department to submit annual written reports on the program's implementation and effectiveness, with a final report recommending statewide expansion.
- Makes the entire program contingent on the General Assembly appropriating specific funding, and sets automatic repeal of the law on June 30, 2029.
### Who it affects
Pregnant and postpartum women in Georgia counties with few or no obstetric providers, the Department of Public Health, which must run and report on the program, and obstetric providers such as physicians and advanced practice registered nurses who deliver the mobile care.
### Why it matters
Women in counties without nearby hospitals or obstetric providers would gain access to postpartum checkups, mental health evaluations, and newborn care guidance they might otherwise miss. Whether this happens depends entirely on lawmakers approving specific funding, since the program only takes effect if money is appropriated.
### Key provisions
- Section 2 adds new Code Section 31-2A-21 defining 'limited maternity care county,' 'maternity care desert,' 'obstetric provider,' and 'postpartum care.'
- Subsection (b) directs the Department of Public Health to run a three-year pilot program delivering postpartum care via mobile health clinics in underserved counties.
- Subsection (c) requires annual reports starting no later than June 30, 2026 to the Governor, House Speaker, Senate President, and relevant health committees, with a final report on statewide expansion.
- Subsection (d) makes the program contingent on specific legislative appropriations and sets automatic repeal on June 30, 2029.
- Section 3 states the Act takes effect upon the Governor's approval or upon becoming law without approval.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-01-28)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-01-30)
- Sponsors: Imani Barnes, Carolyn Hugley, Mary Oliver, Michelle Au, Debbie Buckner, Kimberly Alexander
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69571
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb149.md?full=1