Florida HB 515: Doula Support for Healthy Births Pilot Program

Bill Text

HB 515 2026

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hb515-00
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A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the Doula Support for Healthy 2
Births pilot program; creating s. 383.295, F.S.; 3
defining terms; establishing the pilot program in 4
Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties for a 5
specified purpose; providing the purpose of the pilot 6
program; requiring the Department of Health, in 7
collaboration with its maternal and child health 8
section, to implement and oversee the pilot program; 9
specifying the duration of the pilot program, subject 10
to funding; requiring the pilot program to target 11
specified populations for enrollment; specifying 12
services that must be provided under the pilot 13
program; requiring the department to collaborate with 14
specified entities to integrate doula services into 15
existing maternal health programs and facilitate 16
outreach and service delivery; authorizing the 17
department to integrate doula services into existing 18
maternal and child health programs as an expansion of 19
the pilot program, subject to certain requirements; 20
providing for funding of the pilot program; creating 21
the Doula Certification Task Force within the 22
department for a specified purpose; requiring the 23
department to oversee and provide administrative 24
support to the task force; providing for membership 25

HB 515 2026

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and meetings of the task force; specifying duties of 26
the task force; requiring the task force to submit a 27
final report of its findings and recommendations to 28
the Governor and the Legislature by a specified date; 29
providing for expiration of the task force; providing 30
an effective date. 31
32
WHEREAS, preterm birth is defined as a live birth before 37 33
completed weeks of gestation and is associated with increased 34
morbidities or ailments, such as cerebral palsy, breathing 35
difficulties, feeding problems, developmental delay, and vision 36
and hearing problems, and 37
WHEREAS, preterm labor occurs when regular contractions 38
cause the cervix to open between 20 and 37 weeks of gestation, 39
which can result in a baby being born before 37 weeks of 40
gestation, and the earlier the delivery, the greater the health 41
risks for the baby, requiring special care in a neonatal 42
intensive care unit and potentially causing long-term mental and 43
physical health concerns, and 44
WHEREAS, Florida's preterm birth rate has risen annually 45
since 2014 to its current average rate of 10.9 percent, higher 46
than the national average of 10.5 percent, and 47
WHEREAS, Florida ranks among the highest in the nation for 48
infant mortality, with a rate of 5.9 deaths per 1,000 births, 49
higher than the national average of 5.4 deaths per 1,000 births, 50

HB 515 2026

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and 51
WHEREAS, Florida also has one of the highest cesarean 52
delivery rates in the nation at 37.4 percent, compared to the 53
national average of 31.8 percent, with cesarean delivery being 54
associated with increased risks to infants, including 55
respiratory distress, infection, and long-term health 56
complications, and 57
WHEREAS, maternal mortality is defined as the annual number 58
of female deaths from any cause related to or aggravated by 59
pregnancy or its management, excluding accidental or incidental 60
causes, during pregnancy and childbirth or within 42 days after 61
termination of a pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and 62
site of the pregnancy, and 63
WHEREAS, Florida ranks 17th in the nation with a maternal 64
mortality rate of 26.3 deaths per 100,000 births, compared to a 65
national rate of 23.2 deaths per 100,000 births, and 66
WHEREAS, Broward County has a maternal mortality rate of 67
24.8 deaths per 100,000 live births, and an infant mortality 68
rate of 5 deaths per 1,000 live births, and 69
WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County has a maternal mortality rate of 70
20.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, and an infant mortality 71
rate of 4.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, and 72
WHEREAS, Palm Beach County has a maternal mortality rate of 73
33.2 deaths per 100,000 live births, and an infant mortality 74
rate of 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, and 75

HB 515 2026

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WHEREAS, continued perinatal support, including the 76
services provided by trained doulas, is associated with reduced 77
rates of cesarean delivery and improved birth outcomes, and 78
WHEREAS, Florida has ongoing challenges related to child 79
safety and welfare, with s