Summary — HB 1595 (North Dakota): Standards for Pregnancy Resource Centers Receiving State Funds
Status
- Introduced: March 14, 2025 (per bill information provided)
- Procedural outcome: Second reading — failed to pass (yeas 16, nays 75)
- Subject: Adds a new section to chapter 23‑12 of the North Dakota Century Code governing pregnancy resource centers that receive state funding
Purpose and intent
- Establish minimum program, clinical, privacy and financial reporting standards as a condition for pregnancy resource centers to receive state grants for pregnancy‑related services.
- Increase transparency about how state funds are used, strengthen client privacy protections and ensure clinical services are delivered by appropriately licensed providers.
Key provisions (major requirements)
1. Definitions
- Defines terms including “pregnancy resource center,” “client,” “comprehensive counseling,” “health care service,” “individually identifiable client health information,” and “qualified health care provider” (physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse).
Condition of funding / minimum standards
- Any pregnancy resource center receiving state funds must meet the statutory minimum standards.
Clinical staffing and service delivery
- Centers that provide health care services must employ or contract at least one qualified health care provider.
- A qualified provider must be physically present at the facility when health care services are offered.
- Ultrasounds must be performed by a licensed health care provider (or licensed sonographer) within their scope and explained to the client by a licensed provider.
- Counseling must be medically accurate and “comprehensive,” meaning it includes information about all pregnancy options (abortion, adoption, parenting).
- Counseling must be provided or made available by individuals licensed under relevant licensure chapters.
Transparency and records / privacy
- Centers must maintain and publicly post an organizational chart and privacy policy describing services, service policies/procedures, job descriptions, and records maintenance systems (including EHRs and any data sharing).
- Must comply with HIPAA (45 C.F.R. parts 160 & 164) for all individually identifiable client health information.
Pre‑award and post‑award financial and program reporting
- Before receiving a state grant, centers must submit: most recent fiscal year revenue and expense budgets (including breakdowns similar to IRS Form 990), a program expense budget specifying how state funds will be used, staff counts (including licensed professionals and license details), client service counts (e.g., pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, STI tests, counseling, education, material support), and quantities of material support distributed (diapers, formula, car seats, etc.).
- After grant completion, centers must submit similar organizational/program reports and must provide an independent financial audit for each facility that received grant funding.
Who is affected
- Primary: Pregnancy resource centers (nonprofit or other entities) that accept or seek state grant funding for pregnancy‑related counseling or health services in North Dakota.
- Secondary: Clients of those centers (increased protections around provider qualifications, counseling content, and data privacy), and the state department that administers grants (new reporting and oversight responsibilities).
Enforcement and likely impacts
- Compliance with these standards is a condition of receiving state funds; failure to comply would likely result in denial, suspension or termination of grant funding (the bill requires submission of documents before qualifying and after completion).
- Operational impacts on centers may include increased administrative workload (budgeting, audits, data collection), potential costs to hire or contract licensed providers, and upgrades to health record and privacy practices to meet HIPAA standards.
- The requirements could reduce the number of centers willing or able to accept state grants, alter service delivery models (e.g., staffing, ultrasound provision), and increase transparency about public funding flows.
Procedural note
- Although introduced, this version of HB 1595 did not advance into law (failed second reading). If reintroduced or amended, the substantive provisions summarized here would apply only upon enactment and any effective date specified by the legislature.
