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HF 814

A bill for an act relating to a pregnant minor’s legal capacity to consent to the provision of certain medical care.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ann Meyer

Allows pregnant minors without a reasonably available parent to consent to prenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care, with informed consent still required.

Introduced, referred to Health and Human Services.
#minors #pregnancy #prenatalcare
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HF 814

HF 814 — Summary

Overview

HF 814 is a introduced bill (March 6, 2025) that addresses the legal capacity of pregnant minors to consent to certain medical care when a parent, guardian, or legal custodian is not reasonably available. The bill would allow the minor to consent to prenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care with specified health care providers, while preserving the provider’s duty to obtain informed consent from the minor.

Purpose and intent

  • To ensure timely access to essential pregnancy-related care for minors when parental oversight is unavailable.
  • To recognize the minor pregnant patient’s legal capacity to consent to certain medical services directly, subject to informed consent requirements.

Key provisions

1) New section created: 135.196 — Pregnancy care for minors
- If a parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a minor is not reasonably available, the minor shall have legal capacity to give consent to the provision of prenatal care, intrapartum care, or postnatal care.
- Authorized providers for obtaining consent include:
- Physician
- Physician’s designee
- Advanced registered nurse practitioner (APRN)
- Physician assistant (PA)
- Registered nurse (RN)
- Licensed practical nurse (LPN)
- Emergency medical care provider (EMCP)
2) Informed consent remains required
- Subsection 1 does not relieve any listed provider of the duty to obtain informed consent from the minor patient for the provision of such care.

Affected parties

  • Pregnant minors who do not have a reasonably available parent/guardian
  • Health care providers who deliver prenatal, intrapartum, or postnatal care (physicians, APRNs, PAs, RNs, LPNs, EMCPs)
  • Health systems and facilities that provide maternity and related services

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: Introduced and referred to Health and Human Services (HHS)
  • Introduced: March 6, 2025
  • No specific effective date is provided in the introduced text; would follow enactment timelines if enacted

Sponsor

  • Primary sponsor: A. Meyer

Notes

  • The bill includes an explanatory section clarifying that the explanation does not constitute agreement with the substance by all members of the general assembly.
  • The bill focuses on expanding minor autonomy in consent for specific pregnancy-related care while maintaining informed consent requirements.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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