Kira Johnson Act
A bill to prevent maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among Black pregnant and postpartum individuals and other underserved populations, to provide training in respectful maternity care, to reduce and prevent bias, racism, and discrimination in maternity care settings, and for other purposes.
This bill, known as the Kira Johnson Act, aims to address and prevent maternal mortality and severe health issues in Black pregnant and postpartum individuals and other underserved groups. It seeks to ensure respectful maternity care and reduce bias, racism, and discrimination in healthcare settings. The bill was introduced on March 25, 2026, and has been referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions for further consideration.
The Kira Johnson Act would mainly affect Black pregnant and postpartum individuals as well as other underserved populations by improving their access to quality, respectful healthcare. This includes training healthcare providers to be more aware of and reduce biases that may affect care. The goal is to make sure all individuals receive fair and respectful treatment during their pregnancy and postpartum periods.
As of March 25, 2026, the bill has been introduced and read twice in the Senate, and it has been referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. This means that the committee will now review the bill and may hold hearings or make recommendations before it moves to the next stage in the legislative process.
