JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, has submitted a trio of bills to strengthen families and improve the lives of Missouri women and children. This legislative package addresses important issues, including maternal mortality, postpartum depression and family leave.
“Despite living in the greatest nation in the world, Missouri still has an epidemic of women dying during childbirth. Addressing critical issues including maternal mortality, postpartum depression and family leave will ensure that more Missouri families start strong and stay healthy.” Sen. Schupp said. “Missourians expect their leaders to work on issues that bring people together, not drive them apart. Helping new moms and families is a great place to find common ground and to work for the common good.”
- Senate Bill 480 would recruit public health experts to work together to study data relating to maternal mortality and provide concrete policy proposals for state leaders to address this epidemic. Missouri underperforms 41 other states in terms of deaths among pregnant women.
- Senate Bill 263 would provide new moms struggling with postpartum depression access to the mental health care services they need.
- Senate Bill 162 creates the Missouri Earned Family and Medical Leave Program, which would provide up to six weeks of paid leave for employees with a newborn or recently adopted child.
“I encourage my fellow legislators to move these bills forward and demonstrate our support for Missouri’s mothers and families,” Sen. Schupp said. “Ensuring healthy families is the first step toward improving the overall health of our state.”
For more information on Sen. Schupp’s legislation, visit her official Missouri Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov/schupp.