Senate File 129 - Introduced SENATE FILE 129 BY PETERSEN , BISIGNANO , WINCKLER , CELSI , DONAHUE , DOTZLER , TOWNSEND , BENNETT , and WEINER A BILL FOR An Act relating to the submission and posting of certain 1 hospital policies. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1173XS (6) 91 dg/ko
S.F. 129 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 135B.36 Hospital policies —— 1 submission to department —— posting. 2 1. A hospital licensed under this chapter shall no later 3 than September 1, 2025, submit to the department its policies 4 related to all of the following: 5 a. Nondiscrimination. 6 b. Reproductive health care. For purposes of this 7 section, “reproductive health care” means neonatal care, family 8 planning, long-acting reversible contraception, permanent 9 contraception including tubal ligations and vasectomies, 10 abortion, miscarriage care, maternal hemorrhage care, and 11 vaginal delivery after a previous cesarean section birth. 12 c. If the hospital provides labor and delivery services, 13 whether the hospital has adopted and implemented current 14 best practices or safety bundles recommended by the American 15 college of obstetricians and gynecologists and the alliance for 16 innovation on maternal health, including but not limited to 17 action measures for obstetrical hemorrhage, severe hypertension 18 or preeclampsia, prevention of venous thromboembolism, 19 reduction of low-risk primary cesarean births and support 20 for intended vaginal births, reduction of peripartum racial 21 disparities, and postpartum care access and standards. 22 2. The department shall post a copy of the policies 23 submitted under subsection 1 on the department’s internet site 24 and shall develop and implement an interactive online tool that 25 allows the public to compare posted policies. 26 3. If a hospital alters a policy specified under subsection 27 1, the hospital shall submit a copy of the altered policy to 28 the department within thirty calendar days after the hospital 29 approves the alteration. 30 4. A hospital shall post a copy of its most recent policies 31 submitted under the section on the hospital’s internet site 32 where the policies are readily accessible to the public, 33 without requiring a login credential or otherwise restricting 34 access. 35 -1- LSB 1173XS (6) 91 dg/ko 1/ 2
S.F. 129 Sec. 2. CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVE. The Code editor shall 1 designate section 135B.36, as enacted in this Act, as a new 2 subchapter within chapter 135B, entitled “patient’s right to 3 know Act”. 4 EXPLANATION 5 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 6 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 7 This bill relates to the submission and posting of certain 8 hospital policies. 9 The bill requires a licensed hospital, no later than 10 September 1, 2025, to submit its policies related to 11 nondiscrimination and reproductive health care to the 12 department of inspections, appeals, and licensing (DIAL). If 13 the hospital provides labor and delivery services, it must 14 also submit its policies related to certain best practices and 15 safety bundles, as described in the bill. The bill defines 16 “reproductive health care”. 17 The bill requires DIAL to post a copy of the policies 18 on DIAL’s internet site and to develop and implement an 19 interactive online tool that allows the public to compare the 20 policies. 21 If a hospital makes a change to a policy, the hospital must 22 submit a copy of the policy to DIAL within 30 calendar days 23 after the hospital approves the alteration. 24 The bill requires a hospital to post a copy of its policies 25 on the hospital’s internet site where the policies are readily 26 accessible to the public without requiring a login credential 27 or otherwise restricting access. 28 -2- LSB 1173XS (6) 91 dg/ko 2/ 2