--- title: SR 108. Doula Day; recognize January 23, 2025 collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr108 cite_as: SR 108, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr108 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr108.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr108/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69815 date: 2025-02-04 status: passed 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/sr107.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr109.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr108.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 108 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-02-04 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Donzella James - Randal Mangham - Sheikh Rahman - Tonya Anderson text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR108/2025 upstream_id: 1952911 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - maternal health - doulas - Georgia Senate resolution - racial health disparities - women's health --- # SR 108. Doula Day; recognize January 23, 2025 ## Text Senate Resolution 108 By: Senators James of the 28th, Mangham of the 55th, Rahman of the 5th and Anderson of the 43rd A RESOLUTION Recognizing January 23, 2025, as Doula Day at the state capitol; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the Bellies to Babies Foundation has a long-standing reputation for its doula training program and effective maternal health support, improving outcomes for mothers and babies in the State of Georgia; and WHEREAS, obstacles to support in hospitals are a widespread issue, preventing mothers from having full autonomy and partnership in decision-making during childbirth, and the Bellies to Babies Foundation has trained doulas in the community since 2011, contributing to infrastructure changes within hospital systems that have seen decreases in cesarean section rates within a year of patients utilizing services from the foundation's trained doulas; and WHEREAS, the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries, with at least half of these deaths being preventable; and WHEREAS, peer-reviewed research shows that doulas significantly improve the outcomes of laboring and birthing individuals when they have a supportive role on the birth team; and WHEREAS, doulas in Georgia, including Berthina Marquez, Nar Sanders, Janisa, Imani Gunn, Rara Hill, Wendi Wright, Naima Bond, Rosalee Henry, Destiny Muhammad, Simone, Ziah McKinney, Danielle Lyles Barton, Chi T Mathias, Zakirah Abdul-Hameed, DEricka Smith, Tiffany Bryant, Chanel Stryker, and Corrinna Edwards, are making a meaningful difference through their services, agencies, or advocacy; and WHEREAS, organizations and programs such as Birthin' with Berthina, Guiding Lite LLC Holistic Midwifery & Family Health Services, Doula of the Divine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Wellstar, Mothers Helping Hands Atlanta LLC, Chosen Womb, Divine Hands Agency, ATLdoula and Disability Advocacy, Blooming All Over, Your Divine Doula, Lamis Womb Care, Mamas With Her Wings LLC, the Georgia Community Doula Coalition, and the Bellies to Babies Foundation are well-known for servicing Georgia families and improving birth outcomes for all; and WHEREAS, women of color are more likely to experience discriminatory and inappropriate treatment as well as poorer quality of care; and WHEREAS, Black mothers are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts; and WHEREAS, there is a shortage of Black healthcare providers, with data from the Association of American Medical Colleges showing that in 2019, only 2.6 percent of doctors and 7.3 percent of medical students identified as Black or African American; and WHEREAS, the Black infant mortality rate is more than twice as high as the rate for white infants; and WHEREAS, studies suggest that the mortality disparity between Black and white infants decreases when Black infants are treated by Black healthcare providers, and that racism, implicit bias, and lack of cultural competency play major roles in infant and maternal morbidity and mortality; and WHEREAS, Black doulas and doulas of color play an important role in improving birth outcomes for Black families; and WHEREAS, Ziah McKinney, owner of ATLdoula and Disability Advocacy, is a disabled doula who serves the disabled community; more doulas specializing in disability services are needed for Georgia's birthing families; and WHEREAS, there is a particular shortage of maternity care in rural areas, where fewer than half of all rural counties have a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) or baby delivery services; and WHEREAS, the Bellies to Babies Foundation is one of the oldest training programs for Black-led doula businesses and agency owners, continuing to increase the number of entrepreneurs in birth work, including doulas, birth assistants, community health workers, and midwives, with published peer-reviewed research showing that mothers have better experiences when utilizing this level of care and services for their births. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize January 23, 2025, as Doula Day at the state capitol. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the press. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate resolution recognizes January 23, 2025 as Doula Day at the state capitol, honoring doulas and organizations that support maternal health across the state. ### Plain-language summary This resolution does not change any Georgia law. It is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia Senate recognizing January 23, 2025, as Doula Day at the state capitol. The resolution's preamble describes the work of the Bellies to Babies Foundation and other doula organizations in Georgia, and cites statistics on maternal mortality, racial disparities in birth outcomes, and shortages of Black healthcare providers and rural obstetric care. The resolution names specific doulas and organizations for their contributions to maternal health in Georgia. It concludes with the Senate formally recognizing the day and directing the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press. ### What it does - Formally recognizes January 23, 2025, as Doula Day at the Georgia state capitol through a Senate resolution. - Names specific Georgia doulas, agencies, and organizations for their work supporting maternal and infant health. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press. - Does not create any new law, funding, program, or requirement; it is a symbolic statement only. ### Who it affects The resolution names and honors specific Georgia doulas, doula training organizations like the Bellies to Babies Foundation, and maternal health advocacy groups. It also speaks broadly to Georgia mothers, particularly Black mothers and rural residents facing gaps in maternity care. ### Why it matters Because this is a ceremonial resolution rather than a law, it does not change funding, regulations, or access to doula services in Georgia. Its practical effect is public recognition, drawing attention to maternal health disparities and the role doulas play in birth outcomes statewide. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses describe the doula training work of the Bellies to Babies Foundation since 2011 and its link to lower cesarean section rates. - The whereas clauses cite national data on maternal mortality and disparities affecting Black mothers and infants in Georgia and the U.S. - The resolved clause formally designates January 23, 2025, as Doula Day at the state capitol. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available to the public and press. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-02-04) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2025-02-04) - Sponsors: Donzella James, Randal Mangham, Sheikh Rahman, Tonya Anderson - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69815 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr108.md?full=1