HR1744: HR1744 Black Maternal Heath Week; April 11-17, 2026; recognize

26 LC 112 3853 House Resolution 1744 By: Representatives Clark of the 108th, Cannon of the 58th, Hugley of the 141st, Miller of the 62nd, Evans of the 57th, and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing April 11-17, 2026, as Black Maternal Health Week; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, Black Maternal Health Week was founded by the Black Ma mas Matter2 Alliance, Inc., to bring national attention to the maternal and reproductive health crisis in the3 United States and the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among Black4 women and birthing persons; and5 WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women in6 the United States are two to three times more likely than White women to die from7 pregnancy-related causes; and8 WHEREAS, Black women and individuals living in low-income and rural communities in9 the United States are among those most likely to suffer from li fe-threatening pregnancy10 complications, known as maternal morbidities; and11 WHEREAS, maternal mortality rates in the United States are amon g the highest in the12 developed world, with 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 20 20; 32.9 in 2021; 22.3 in13 2022; and 18.6 in 2023; and14 H. R. 1744 - 1 - 26 LC 112 3853 WHEREAS, the United States has the highest maternal mortality r ate among affluent15 countries, in part because of the disproportionate mortality rate of Black women; and16 WHEREAS, according to the 2025 CDC Report, in 2023 the United S tates maternal17 mortality rate decreased rate for White (14.5), Hispanic (12.4), and Asian (10.7) women but18 increased to 50.3 deaths per 100,000 live births for Black women; and19 WHEREAS, as of 2023, the maternal mortality rate in Georgia is 30.4 per 100,000 live20 births, and the infant mortality rate is 7.0 per 1,000 live births; and21 WHEREAS, according to the Georgia Department of Health, 87 percent of pregnancy-related22 deaths were preventable; and23 WHEREAS, Black women are 50 percent more likely than all other women to give birth to24 premature, low birthweight, and very low birthweight infants; and25 WHEREAS, the high rates of maternal mortality among Black women persist across all26 income levels, education levels, and socioeconomic statuses; and27 WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has fou nd that more than 8028 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable; and29 WHEREAS, the leading causes of maternal mortality among Black w omen and birthing30 persons include eclampsia, preeclampsia, postpartum cardiomyopa thy, and obstetric31 embolism, all of which disproportionately impact Black women and birthing people; and32 H. R. 1744 - 2 - 26 LC 112 3853 WHEREAS, 34.9 percent of live births in Georgia are delivered via Cesarean section, with33 Black infant Cesarean births reaching 38.0 percent from 2022-2024; and34 WHEREAS, structural racism, gender oppression, and the social d eterminants of health35 inequities experienced by Black women in the United States significantly contribute to the36 disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women; and37 WHEREAS, racism and discrimination play a consequential role in maternal health care38 experiences and the outcomes of Black birthing people; and39 WHEREAS, the overturning of Roe v. Wade impacts Black women and birthing people's40 right to reproductive healthcare and bodily autonomy and further perpetuates reproductive41 oppression as a tool to control women's bodies; and42 WHEREAS, a fair and wide distribution of resources and birth op tions, especially with43 regard to reproductive health care services and maternal health programming, are critical to44 addressing inequities in maternal health outcomes; and45 WHEREAS, states and rural counties with higher Black population rates experience severe46 maternity care deserts, where hospitals or birth centers offering obstetric care and obstetric47 providers are lacking, and access to reproductive health care providers is further diminished48 due to low Medicaid reimbursements, rising costs, and persisten t health care workforce49 shortages; and50 WHEREAS, Georgia counties face higher rates of maternity care d eserts at 36 percent51 compared to the national average of 32.6 percent, where women of childbearing age do not52 have access to hospitals or birth centers offering maternity care or obstetric providers; and53 H. R. 1744 - 3 - 26 LC 112 3853 WHEREAS, maternity care deserts lead to higher risks of maternal morbidity and mortality,54 as most complications occur in the postpartum period when birthing people are far from their55 providers; and56 WHEREAS, Black midwives, doulas, perinatal health workers, and community-based57 organizations provide holistic maternal care and support but face structural and legal barriers58 to licensure, reimbursement, and the provision of care; and59 WHEREAS, Black women and birthing persons experience increased barriers to accessing60 prenatal and postpartum care, including maternal mental health care; and61 WHEREAS, there are concerted efforts to increase uptake of maternal vaccinations; and62 WHEREAS, even as there is growing concern about improving acces s to mental health63 services, Black women are the least likely to have access to me ntal health screenings,64 treatment, and support before, during, and after pregnancy; and65 WHEREAS, Black pregnant and postpartum workers are disproportio nately denied66 reasonable accommodations in the workplace, leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes; and67 WHEREAS, Black pregnant people disproportionately experience su rveillance and68 punishment, including shackling incarcerated people during labor, drug testing mothers and69 infants without informed consent, separating mothers from their newborns, and criminalizing70 pregnancy outcomes such as miscarriage; and71 WHEREAS, Black women and birthing people experience pervasive racial injustice in the72 criminal justice, social, and health care systems; and73 H. R. 1744 - 4 - 26 LC 112 3853 WHEREAS, justice-informed, culturally congruent models of care are beneficial to Black74 women; and75 WHEREAS, investments should be made in maternity care for Black women and birthing76 persons, including care led by the communities most affected by the maternal health crisis77 in the State of Georgia; continuous health insurance coverage to support Black women and78 birthing persons for the full postpartum period at least one ye ar after giving birth; and79 policies that support and promote affordable, comprehensive, an d holistic maternal health80 care that is free from gender and racial discrimination, regardless of incarceration.81 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that82 the members of this body recognize April 11-17, 2026, as Black Maternal Health Week.83 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized84 and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution avai lable for distribution to the85 public and the press.86 H. R. 1744 - 5 -