SF1650

SF1650 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Women's pregnancy centers and maternity home program establishment and appropriation

Related bill: HF25

AI Generated Summary

The Supporting Women Act (Senate File No. 1650) proposes the establishment of a grant program for women’s pregnancy centers and maternity homes in Minnesota. Key provisions include:

Definitions:
- Maternity homes: Community-based supervised housing for pregnant women or new mothers, especially those in crisis or at risk of homelessness.
- Women’s pregnancy centers: Organizations providing information and assistance to encourage women to carry pregnancies to term and care for their children.
Grant Program:
- Administered by the Minnesota Commissioner of Health.
- Grants will fund services that support pregnant women in carrying their pregnancies to term and caring for children post-birth.
Eligibility Criteria for Grants:
- Organizations must be nonprofits.
- They must provide or refer women to support and assistance programs.
- Services must be free or low-cost, with housing provided at no charge.
- Organizations cannot use grant funds for:
  - Encouraging or referring for abortions (except when necessary to save a woman's life).
  - Performing abortions.
- Organizations or affiliates involved in abortion services are ineligible.
Uses of Grant Funds:
- Funds must support programs related to medical care, mental health, housing assistance, nutrition, adoption, education, employment, child care, parenting education, and more.
Privacy Protections:
- Requires policies to protect the identity and communications of women receiving services.
Monitoring & Compliance:
- The Commissioner of Health will collect data and evaluate program effectiveness.
Funding:
- The bill redirects $4 million per year (starting in fiscal year 2026) from the state’s sexual and reproductive health services grants to fund the new program.
- Allocation:
  - $3 million annually for women’s pregnancy centers.
  - $1 million annually for maternity homes.

This bill prioritizes funding for pregnancy support centers while reducing financial support for broader reproductive health services.

Bill text versions

Introduction PDF file

Actions

Date	Chamber	Where	Type	Name	Committee Name
February 19, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Introduction and first reading
February 19, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Referred to	Health and Human Services
February 26, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Author added
March 05, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Author added

Citations

[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill reduces appropriations for the sexual and reproductive health services grants program under section 145.925.",
      "modified": [
        "Reduces funding by $4,000,000 in fiscal years 2026 and 2027."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "145.925"
  }
]