This bill designates the Loggerhead Turtle as the official sea turtle for the State of Delaware.
This Act amends Section 3-304 of the City of Wilmington’s Charter to allow the City of Wilmington to determine whether, and to what extent, its employees are required to be City residents. This Act does not affect residency requirements for City Council Members.
Delaware law already prohibits the use of restraints on women who are giving birth or in labor except in limited circumstances. This Act expands that protection to include women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy and those in the 13-week immediate post-partum period. Wrist restraints fastened in front of the body may be used during transport except during labor or delivery or while being transported with a newborn. Wrist, leg, and waist restraints may also be used in extraordinary circumstances, but a licensed medical professional must be notified as soon as practicable when waist or leg restraints are applied and examine the prisoner within 10 minutes of the notification. Leg and waist restraints are prohibited for prisoners in labor and delivery. The Act also requires that a pregnant or post-partum woman who is required to squat or cough during a strip search be provided accommodations to avoid falls and prohibits vaginal exams except those performed by a medical professional. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states that shackling a pregnant inmate increases the risk of falling, impairs evaluations for serious pregnancy-associated conditions, causes pain and skin damage, and further endangers inmates at increased risk of preeclampsia. The use of restraints in the post-partum period creates additional risks to physical and mental health.
This Act requires that the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance to present a plan to the General Assembly by November 1, 2022 for coverage of doula services by Medicaid providers.
Improving the quality of maternal health care and ensuring full access to it improves health outcomes and reduces preventable pregnancy-related deaths. The United States has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality among high-income countries and wide disparities by race that have been documented since rates separated by race were first published in 1935. Currently, Indigenous and Black women are dying at two to three times the rate of White women, Asian/Pacific Islander women, and Hispanic women. Investigating maternal deaths—specifically by obtaining information beyond vital statistics data—is imperative to understanding why people may die while pregnant, during labor and delivery, and in the postpartum period. (Source: Guttmacher Institute) Maternal mortality review is an essential component for improvement. Delaware added the review of maternal mortality to the duties of the existing Child Death Review Commission in 2008, however, the focus and processes of the Commission need improvement to match our evolving understanding of maternal morbidity and mortality as well as racial disparities. This Act changes the name of the Commission, from “Child Death Review Commission” to “Child and Maternal Death Review Commission” to reflect the intended dual focus of the Commission. The definition of “maternal death” is updated to include death during pregnancy or within a year from the end of pregnancy, and related to, or aggravated by, the pregnancy or birth, including death by suicide. The membership of the Commission is updated to include a midwife, a doula, and a member of a community group focused on women’s health, teen pregnancy, or public health. In making appointments to the Commission, the Governor is directed to consider the racial diversity of the membership. Most of the work of the Commission and death review panels is quite properly, closed to the public, to protect sensitive medical information and other protected personal information. However, to increase access to the work of the Commission, and to provide the Commission with the insight of diverse members of the public and with other public bodies addressing similar issues, the Act requires the Commission to hold at least one annual meeting jointly with the Delaware Perinatal Quality Collaborative to discuss findings, recommendations, and initiatives of that body. The Commission is also required to publicly post its draft report to the General Assembly and Governor and accept written public comment thereon, as well as hold a public meeting in each county to present its draft findings and recommendations and accept public comment.
This substitute bill places responsibility for development of bias and cultural competency training for healthcare employees in a subcommittee of the Delaware Perinatal Quality Collaborative. The subcommittee will develop training guidelines designed for use in all healthcare fields and shall release the initial guidelines by July 1, 2023. The subcommittee will review data every year thereafter and revise the guidelines as necessary.
This Act ensures pregnant women and women who have given birth within the past six weeks who are subject to the custody of the Department of Corrections at Level IV or V have access to midwifery and doula services by requiring the Department to make reasonable accommodations for provision of available midwifery or doula services. This Act requires the Department to establish and provide midwifery services subject to the availability of funds designated for that purpose. This Act also requires the Department to provide written notice to pregnant and postpartum women subject to the custody of the Department at Level IV or V of the availability of midwifery and doula services.
This Act requires the Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance to take the necessary steps to expand Medicaid coverage to pregnant women from the current coverage of 60-days from the end of pregnancy under federal Medicaid regulations to 12 months from the end of pregnancy. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, pregnant women receiving Medicaid benefits cannot be dropped so comprehensive medical care and other health care services have continued beyond 60 days until 12 months after the end of pregnancy by virtue of the federal Determination that a Public Health Emergency Exists. This Act would continue that coverage after the Determination is not renewed. In the event that coverage under the Determination ends before the State Plan Amendment is approved, the State will be obligated to provide the cost of coverage for services provided to pregnant women during the period from 60 days until 12 months after pregnancy ends. Insurance coverage is a critical factor in determining women’s access to affordable postpartum care and is a key strategy for reducing preventable maternal mortality. Extending the period postpartum during which insurance coverage is available will help close the disparity in the maternal morbidity and mortality rate, improve access for preventive services and comprehensive care for chronic conditions, including behavioral health, and accordingly, improve the overall health outcomes among Black women and women of other races.
This Act allows counties to use Realty Transfer Tax funds for recreational amenities and land preservation programs.
This bill establishes voting by mail under the General Assembly’s broad powers under § 1, Article V of the Delaware Constitution to “prescribe the means, methods and instruments of voting”.
