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HB 1044 CO
Became Law

Measures to Improve Black Maternal Health Equity

CO · session 2026A · Assembly / House · bill

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Introduced Jan 14, 2026

Latest action (May 5, 2026) Introduced In House - Assigned to Health & Human Services

Summary

This bill establishes multiple measures to improve maternal health equity in Colorado, with particular focus on populations experiencing the worst maternal mortality outcomes. The bill requires the Colorado Medical Board and State Board of Nursing to incorporate continuing education requirements on cultural competence and equity in maternal health care for physicians and nurses. Health facilities providing labor and childbirth services must provide birthing parents with written information about their rights regarding respectful care, informed consent, privacy, and the right to have a birthing companion present during delivery, along with contact information for filing complaints. The bill authorizes expanded health surveys of birthing parents and requires the maternal health task force to include advocates representing populations with the highest maternal mortality rates. The state's maternal mortality review committee must report every three years to the legislature beginning in October 2026, with specific data on maternal health outcomes for populations known to have the worst maternal mortality outcomes.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill (from the OpenStates abstract — no full text available yet) — neutral, and may be imperfect.

Official abstract

The act requires measures to improve equity in maternal health, including:Requiring the Colorado medical board to consider, as part of its stakeholder process for continuing medical education, a requirement that a physician complete continuing medical education on cultural competence and equity in maternal care;Requiring the state board of nursing rules relating to continuing education to include rules relating to health-care provider attention to cultural competence and equity in providing health-care services;Authorizing the department of public health and environment (CDPHE), subject to available appropriations, to provide a health survey to additional birthing parents, beyond those currently surveyed, and to compile the data if surveyed;Requiring a health facility that provides labor and childbirth services to make available to a birthing parent and a birthing parent's companion, electronically or in writing, a statement on respectful labor and childbirth regarding rights and components, including freedom from harm, privacy and confidentiality, informed consent, and allowing a birthing parent to have a birthing companion present at the birth, and to make available information, including telephone contact information, for the appropriate state or federal agency to receive a complaint alleging discrimination in labor and childbirth services;Subject to available federal grant funding for the maternal health task force (task force) established by CDPHE, ensuring that the maternal health task force includes at least one advocate representing populations with the worst maternal mortality outcomes in the state; andBeginning October 1, 2026, with respect to CDPHE's Colorado maternal mortality review committee, changing the reporting to the general assembly every 3 years concerning maternal health outcomes and equity from July to October and requiring the reporting of certain maternal health outcomes for populations known to have the worst maternal mortality outcomes in the state.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Sponsors (5)

41 coauthors / cosponsors

Action history (16)

  1. May 5, 2026 Governor Signed · executive
  2. May 1, 2026 Sent to the Governor · executive
  3. May 1, 2026 Signed by the President of the Senate · upper
  4. May 1, 2026 Signed by the Speaker of the House · lower
  5. Apr 14, 2026 House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass · lower
  6. Apr 7, 2026 House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily · lower
  7. Apr 6, 2026 Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · upper
  8. Apr 2, 2026 Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor · upper
  9. Apr 1, 2026 Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 04/02/2026 - No Amendments · upper
  10. Mar 31, 2026 Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 04/01/2026 - No Amendments · upper
  11. Mar 26, 2026 Senate Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Unamended to Senate Committee of the Whole · upper
  12. Mar 6, 2026 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Health & Human Services · upper
  13. Mar 3, 2026 House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · lower
  14. Mar 2, 2026 House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor · lower
  15. Feb 25, 2026 House Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole · lower
  16. Jan 14, 2026 Introduced In House - Assigned to Health & Human Services · lower
Subjects
Health Care & Health InsuranceProfessions & OccupationsPublic Health

Full text

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