(HB1649)

GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6 of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1649, which directs the Board of Medicine to require unconscious bias and cultural competency training as part of the requirements for licensure renewal.

I remain committed to working with the General Assembly on our collective goals of improving maternal health and outcomes for mothers and mothers-to-be. Our administration has made meaningful investments in prenatal care and has strengthened partnerships with maternal health hubs in areas such as Petersburg as well as re-established the Task Force on Maternal Health Data and Quality Measures last June.

Additionally, we have expanded access to doulas who are specially trained professionals who provide critical support before, during, and after childbirth. I also signed legislation to increase the number of doula visits covered under Medicaid and other legislation that will create a partnership between DMAS and a pregnancy mobile application to promote awareness of maternal and infant health programs to pregnant and postpartum mothers.

I also signed legislation to require cooperation with the Virginia Neonatal and Perinatal Collaborative to implement standard protocols at all birthing hospitals and centers around the Commonwealth for identifying and responding to obstetric emergencies. I have also directed the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to enhance the Maternal Child Health Data Dashboard, which they recently launched enhancements to, to include actionable data on pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related mortality.

The preliminary maternal mortality data from VDH from 2024 suggests a significant decline in maternal mortality, from 45 deaths in 2021 to 23 in 2024. Every death is a tragedy and a call for action. The data highlights the importance of continued monitoring and early action. Statistically, the reality is that Black, Hispanic, and Indian mothers and mothers in our rural communities, have a higher mortality rate. The data reveals that the top three causes of maternal mortality cardiac conditions, mental health challenges and substance use, and none of these conditions would be addressed by the training mandate in this legislation.

Regrettably, the General Assembly did not adopt my amendment, which would have directed the Board of Medicine to require licensed professionals who provide care to maternal populations—including in fertility, prenatal, birth, and postpartum care—to complete two hours of continuing education on pregnancy and postpartum health, with a focus on populations at higher risk for maternal and infant mortality.

I believe the Commonwealth can and must effectively address these disparities while promoting the health and dignity of every woman before, during, and after birth. This legislation, however, does not achieve that objective in its current form.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.