Provides doula services at all correctional institutions and local correctional facilities

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Brian Cunningham and 2 co-sponsors

Requires correctional facilities to provide doula services to pregnant inmates, ensuring labor support, birth guidance, and postpartum care across all sites.

REFERRED TO CORRECTION

Summary: Bill A 4073 — Provides doula services at all correctional institutions and local correctional facilities

What the bill is intended to do

The bill, titled “Provides doula services at all correctional institutions and local correctional facilities,” appears to require the provision of doula services to pregnant individuals within correctional facilities. While the specific statutory language is not provided here, the headline indicates an effort to ensure access to labor and birth support services for incarcerated pregnant persons across all correctional institutions and local facilities.

Key provisions (notes on scope)

Exact text and detailed provisions are not included in the provided materials. Based on the title, the bill would likely address:

Mandating correctional facilities to provide or contract for doula services for pregnant inmates.
Standards or qualifications for doulas serving in correctional settings.
Roles and scope of doula support (prenatal education, labor and birth support, postpartum support, breastfeeding assistance, and guidance).
Funding and budget implications for facilities to implement doula services.
Oversight, compliance, and reporting requirements to ensure access and quality.

If enacted, the bill would define how services are integrated with existing healthcare within correctional facilities and may specify coordination with medical staff and correctional administration.

Who and what would be affected

Pregnant incarcerated individuals across all correctional institutions and local correctional facilities would be directly affected by the provision of doula services.

Correctional facilities (state and local) would bear implementation responsibilities, including staffing, contracting with doulas, and potential training and oversight requirements.

Doulas and affiliated provider networks could engage in correctional settings to provide services.

Potential budget impacts for corrections departments or state/local governments to fund these services.

Procedural history and timeline

Introduced: January 31, 2025.

Status: ReferRED to Correction (committee assignment to the Corrections committee for consideration).

Legislative actions: The filing shows two entries on January 31, 2025, both listing “REFERRED TO CORRECTION,” indicating a single initial committee referral, possibly with duplicate entries in the record.

Sponsors:

Primary sponsor: Brian Cunningham
Cosponsors: Phara Souffrant Forrest, Dana Levenberg

Related bills: A 8097 (prior-session) is noted as a related measure.

Potential impact and considerations

Public health and equity: Access to doula support could improve maternal health outcomes, support informed birth choices, and reduce disparities in perinatal care for incarcerated individuals.

Operational considerations: Facilities would need to establish contracts or employment mechanisms for doulas, set standards of care, and ensure security and confidentiality within the correctional environment.

Budget and oversight: Funding for doula services and any necessary training, along with monitoring and reporting requirements, would be key components to address in implementation.

Timeline: With the bill referred to Corrections, progress will depend on committee action, scheduling, and subsequent floor votes in the legislative process.

Note

Details on the exact statutory language, specific provisions, and funding mechanisms are not provided in the available information. A full bill text would clarify definitions, duties, eligibility, funding, workforce qualifications, and enforcement.