State legislators announced plans to improve maternal health and care across Virginia during a Monday press conference, highlighting key elements of the “Virginia Momnibus” legislative package ahead of the upcoming General Assembly session.

The bills and budget proposals, grouped into four categories—reforming systems, economic support, technology, and expanding care access — will address disparities in physical and mental health care, enhance support for mothers and families before, during, and after pregnancy, and strengthen data collection to identify obstacles and solutions.

“Today, we’re taking steps to end this disparity once and for all,” said House Speaker Don Scott, who spoke alongside Sen. L. Louise Lucas and Delegates Michael Feggans, Candi Mundon King and Amy Laufer during a briefing in the Virginia General Assembly.

Legislation introduced as part of the “Momnibus” includes unconscious bias training for medical professionals, expanded Medicaid coverage and reimbursement rates for specific maternal health needs, funding for early childhood education and requirements for maternal mental health resources in hospitals.

Legislators have relied on national and local organizations to help them better understand the scope of issues in maternal care and provide data, with groups such as March of Dimes, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and Birth in Color contributing to the initiative.

“We’ve been able to get a few things across the finish line at the national level,” said Stacey Brayboy, senior vice president for March of Dimes. “It’s very good to see the Commonwealth of Virginia taking this big, bold approach and putting together the model.”

Currently, 30.8% of Virginia counties are defined as maternity care deserts according to the March of Dimes. The plight of Black women and newborns also is a major concern, with data from various health groups showing higher preterm births and deaths from pregnancy-related causes compared to other races, child deaths at nearly twice the national average and cardiac disease as the leading cause of black maternal mortality.

“Improving maternal and women’s health is not just a policy goal — it’s a moral imperative,” said Lucas, who will introduce a bill establishing a women’s health policy commission as part of the initiative.

“When women thrive, families thrive. When families thrive, societies prosper. And when societies prosper, the future we leave to our children is one of equity, opportunity and hope.”

The Virginia Momnibus was first discussed during the state’s inaugural Black Maternal Health Legislative Summit in October, where lawmakers, community members and medical professionals from across the country gathered to collaborate and address the issue.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin also has established a maternal health task force which began meeting in October. While Youngkin vetoed a bill focused on unconscious bias training in medicine earlier this year, legislators are hopeful that the proposals will see bipartisan support during the 2025 session.

“At the Black Maternal Health Summit we had bipartisan support, we had members from across the aisle join us,” Mundon King said. “We’ve had conversations with members and we’re hoping that when these bills get before them, they will continue that support.”