House File 515 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 515 BY SALMON A BILL FOR An Act creating an alternatives to abortion program, and making 1 an appropriation. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2496YH (6) 89 pf/rh

H.F. 515 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 217.41C Alternatives to abortion 1 program. 2 1. The department of human services shall create a statewide 3 alternatives to abortion program to promote childbirth and to 4 provide support services to pregnant women. The alternatives 5 to abortion program is designed to do all of the following: 6 a. Provide a holistic approach and personalized support to 7 pregnant women considering abortion to provide stabilization to 8 families and reduce abortion. 9 b. Reduce the number of abortions and improve pregnancy 10 outcomes by helping women practice sound health-related 11 behaviors and improve prenatal nutrition. 12 c. Improve child health and development by helping parents 13 provide responsible and competent care for their children. 14 d. Improve family economic self-sufficiency by linking 15 parents to services that address individual economic and social 16 needs. 17 2. The department shall issue a request for proposals to 18 administer the program. Eligible contractors shall meet all 19 of the following requirements: 20 a. Be a nonprofit entity. 21 b. Have a commitment to promoting childbirth as a 22 fundamental part of the contractor’s mission. 23 c. Operate pregnancy resource centers. 24 d. Utilize proactive targeted digital marketing using 25 proven search engine marketing techniques to reach pregnant 26 women in real time who are in crisis and actively seeking an 27 abortion, and employ specific scripting strategies to create 28 a conversation with these pregnant women to encourage them to 29 choose an alternative to an abortion by increasing awareness of 30 services and removing obstacles to care. 31 e. Utilize a virtual clinic model that is premised on 32 active outreach, speed to care, and the coordination of local 33 services to connect the pregnant woman to caregivers who use 34 collaborative shared decision-making tools to allow a pregnant 35 -1- LSB 2496YH (6) 89 pf/rh 1/ 4

H.F. 515 woman to identify obstacles, schedule a pregnancy test and 1 an ultrasound at a local pregnancy resource center, design 2 and execute a personalized care plan, and comprehensively 3 address needs that encourage a healthy pregnancy by linking the 4 pregnant woman to a continuum of care program and community 5 resources including local pregnancy centers, adoption agencies, 6 housing, job training, government benefits, child care, health 7 care, material assistance, transportation, financial literacy, 8 life skills, and other resources. 9 f. Track key information throughout the entire cycle of the 10 contractor’s interactions with a pregnant woman including but 11 not limited to key demographic and socioeconomic information, 12 services provided, referrals provided, and program enrollment, 13 to provide program transparency and accountability. 14 3. The department of human services shall adopt rules 15 pursuant to chapter 17A to administer the program, and 16 shall provide technical assistance to contractors, monitor 17 contractors for adherence to state and federal requirements, 18 and collect and maintain program data. 19 Sec. 2. ALTERNATIVES TO ABORTION PROGRAM —— APPROPRIATION. 20 There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the 21 department of human services for the fiscal year beginning July 22 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2022, the following amount, or so 23 much thereof as is necessary, for the purpose designated: 24 For distribution through a request for proposals process to 25 contractors administering the alternatives to abortion program 26 created in section 217.41C, as enacted in this Act: 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 879,152 28 EXPLANATION 29 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 30 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 31 This bill creates an alternatives to abortion program, and 32 makes an appropriation. 33 The bill requires the department of human services (DHS) to 34 create a statewide alternatives to abortion program to promote 35 -2- LSB 2496YH (6) 89 pf/rh 2/ 4

H.F. 515 childbirth and to provide support services to pregnant women. 1 The bill specifies that the program is designed to provide a 2 holistic approach and personalized support to pregnant women 3 considering abortion to provide stabilization to families 4 and reduce abortion; reduce the number of abortions and 5 improve pregnancy outcomes by helping women practice sound 6 health-related behaviors and improve prenatal nutrition; 7 improve child health and development by helping parents provide 8 responsible and competent care for their children; and improve 9 family economic self-sufficiency by linking parents to services 10 that address individual economic and social needs. 11 DHS shall issue a request for proposals to administer the 12 program. The bill specifies that an eligible contractor shall 13 meet all of the following requirements: be a nonprofit entity; 14 have a commitment to promoting childbirth as a fundamental 15 part of the contractor’s mission; operate pregnancy resource 16 centers; utilize proactive targeted digital marketing to reach 17 pregnant women in real time who are in crisis and actively 18 seeking an abortion and employ specific scripting strategies to 19 create a conversation with these pregnant women to encourage 20 them to choose an alternative to an abortion by increasing 21 awareness of services and removing obstacles to care; utilize 22 a virtual clinic model to connect the pregnant woman to 23 caregivers who use collaborative shared decision-making tools 24 to allow a pregnant woman to identify obstacles, schedule 25 a pregnancy test and an ultrasound at a local pregnancy 26 resource center, design and execute a personalized care plan, 27 and comprehensively address needs that encourage a healthy 28 pregnancy by linking the pregnant woman to a continuum of care 29 program and community resources; and track key information 30 throughout the entire cycle of the contractor’s interactions 31 with a pregnant woman to provide program transparency and 32 accountability. 33 DHS shall adopt administrative rules to administer the 34 program, and shall provide technical assistance to contractors, 35 -3- LSB 2496YH (6) 89 pf/rh 3/ 4

H.F. 515 monitor contractors for adherence to state and federal 1 requirements, and collect and maintain program data. 2 The bill makes an appropriation to DHS for FY 2021-2022 3 for distribution through a request for proposals process to 4 contractors administering the alternatives to abortion program. 5 -4- LSB 2496YH (6) 89 pf/rh 4/ 4