Massachusetts HD 3995: An Act relative to ensuring resources and support for pregnant and parenting families

Bill Text

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3995        FILED ON: 1/17/2025 
HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 217 
 
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
_________________ 
PRESENTED BY: 
David F. DeCoste and Jeffrey Rosario Turco 
_________________ 
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General 
 Court assembled: 
 The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: 
An Act relative to ensuring resources and support for pregnant and parenting families. 
_______________ 
PETITION OF: 
 
NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED: 
David F. DeCoste 5th Plymouth 1/17/2025 
Joseph D. McKenna 18th Worcester 3/2/2025 
Colleen M. Garry 36th Middlesex 3/2/2025 
John R. Gaskey 2nd Plymouth 3/12/2025 
John J. Marsi 6th Worcester 8/19/2025 
Patrick Joseph Kearney 4th Plymouth 10/22/2025 

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3995        FILED ON: 1/17/2025 
HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 217 
By Representatives DeCoste of Norwell and Turco of Winthrop, a petition (accompanied by bill, 
House, No. 217) of David F. DeCoste, Joseph D. McKenna and Colleen M. Garry relative to 
providing resources and support for pregnant and parenting families.  Children, Families and 
Persons with Disabilities. 
 
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
 
_______________
 
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court 
(2025-2026) 
_______________
 
 
An Act relative to ensuring resources and support for pregnant and parenting families. 
 
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority 
of the same, as follows: 
 
1 SECTION 1: Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, 
2is hereby amended by adding the following section:- Section 51B ½. (a) For the purposes of this 
3section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: “Pregnancy and Parenting 
4Resources”, services provided by any organization, such as a non-profit pregnancy support 
5center, community centers, homeless shelters, churches, or pregnancy medical centers, that: (1) 
6supports expectant mothers in promoting pregnancy equality; and (2) offers resources and 
7services to mothers, fathers, and families, including but not limited to, relationship counseling, 
8ultrasounds, options counseling and support, prenatal and pregnancy education, pregnancy 
9testing, diapers, baby clothes, or material supports. ”Government Resources”, any government or 
10non-government website, advertisement on billboards, buses, trains, garbage cans, television 
11commercials, and social media platforms, that either encourage or dissuade pregnant women 
12from seeking pregnancy and parenting resources. (b) All state agencies shall provide accurate 

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13and unbiased information about pregnancy and parenting resources available to families, 
14including, but not limited to, food assistance and breastfeeding support, parenting support and 
15educational assistance, home-based services, financial assistance for childcare, tangible items to 
16assist with parenting, counseling, and other essential needed resources. (c) Official governmental 
17resources shall provide information about available resources and facilities or non-profits that 
18provide pregnancy and parenting resources. Official governmental resources shall not be used to 
19discourage women from seeking pregnancy and parenting resources, food assistance & 
20breastfeeding support, parenting support and educational assistance, home-based services, 
21financial assistance for childcare, tangible items to assist with parenting, and counseling, among 
22others. (d) All state agencies shall cease any efforts to dissuade women from accessing support 
23from government or non-governmental entities or non-profits that provide resources to pregnant 
24or parenting families. Any state agency, including the department of public health, that deals 
25with the well-being of pregnant shall equally promote all facilities serving the needs of pregnant 
26mothers, including, but not limited to, licensed medical facilities and pregnancy resource centers. 
27All state laws or department regulations in conflict with this bill shall be unenforceable under 
28state law. 
29 Nothing within this bill shall be construed to prevent any non-profit pregnancy support 
30center, community center, homeless shelter, church, or pregnancy medical center from filing 
31injunctions in the appropriate venue to enforce any section of this bill. SECTION 2. Subsections 
32(a) – (c) shall take effect 90 days after the passage of this act. SECTION 3. Subsection (d) of this 
33section shall take effect immediately upon passage of this act.