Mayes, Curry bill to provide maternal and newborn supply kits passes PA House

Legislation would establish state resource program for new parents

Rep. La'Tasha D. Mayes, Rep. Gina H. Curry    June 6, 2024 | 11:42 AM

HARRISBURG, June 6 – Building on their strong record of propelling initiatives aimed to assist Pennsylvania families, state Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, D-Allegheny, and state Rep. Gina H. Curry, D-Delaware, announced today that their legislation that would create a state program providing “Welcome Baby” kits to new moms and parents passed the Pennsylvania House.

House Bill 2137 would establish a new state program to help ease the financial and emotional stress new moms and parents face by providing them with maternal and newborn supply kits and connecting them to additional support programs available at the state and county levels.

“I believe that the arrival of a newborn should be a time of joy and hope, not stress and uncertainty,” said Mayes, D-Allegheny. “Our legislation would ensure that these families receive the support they need during this transformative time.

“The Maternal and Newborn Supply Kit program addresses the social determinants of health like having a low income which can impact a person’s health outcomes. For new moms and parents, these kits are part an answer to combat the driving forces of maternal mortality and morbidity and a lifeline for struggling new families.”

I stand firmly committed to advocating for policies that provide parents with the necessary resources to nurture their child from day one.”

“Welcoming a new life into this world is a wonderful but also sometimes daunting experience for new mothers,” said state Rep. Gina Curry, D-Delaware. 

“Some mothers have access to plenty of resources; others have no support at all. With this bill, we want to guarantee that a mother, who went through all the effort to bear a child, is given what they need in order to set themselves and their family up for a happy and healthy post-partum life.”

The representatives said the legislation, modeled on the federal Newborn Supply Kit pilot programs currently operating in Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico is an opportunity for Pennsylvania to lead the nation in the realm of maternal health.

The bill is one of eight in the Pennsylvania MOMNIBUS legislative package and now heads to the Pennsylvania state Senate for consideration.