County jails would have to meet minimum care standards for pregnant and postpartum prisoners
What it does
The bill would require the Commission on Jail Standards to write minimum rules for county jails covering conditions of confinement, clothing, nutrition, and rest for pregnant and postpartum prisoners. The rules would address access to bathrooms, maternity hygiene products, prenatal mattresses, jail cleanliness, and jail temperature, and they would have to be based on evidence-based best practices. Each jail would have to report how many pregnant and postpartum prisoners it holds, including those in administrative segregation, what health, mental health, or general support programs it offers, and what nutritional supplementation it provides. Every county jail would face an outside audit of the care standards every six months, and the commission would report to the legislature once a year on compliance and any deficiencies in care.
What it means for your community
For women held in county jails and the families supporting them, the bill would set a statewide floor for prenatal and postpartum care and would make outside audits a regular part of the process. Sheriffs who run county jails would be the ones responsible for meeting the standards and for the audits. If a jail fell short, the commission's annual report would identify the deficiencies in care. The bill would take effect September 1, 2027 if the legislature passes it.
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