Hey Karen,
Because of you — because of your calls, your emails, your presence at the Capitol, your shares, your voices raised in rooms where decisions get made — Virginia moved. And we are not taking that lightly.
Rain, ice, rescheduling — none of it stopped us.
Our Advocacy Day was postponed not once, but twice due to weather. And despite that, our community said: we're still coming.
We were honored to stand alongside Governor Abigail Spanberger, Secretary of the Commonwealth Candi Mundon King, Speaker of the House Don Scott, President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, Majority Leader Delegate Charniele Herring, Senator Mamie Locke, Senator Lashrecse Aird, Delegate Cousins, Delegate Margaret Franklin, and Delegate Briana Sewell — champions of the Momnibus and beyond — who showed up for us when it counted.
Your efforts are why we are celebrating today.
THE WINS HEADED TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK
Your in-person and digital advocacy helped push these bills across the finish line:
🏥 HB328 — DOULA CARE IN INSURANCE
Health insurance carriers will now be required to cover doula care services — including fertility treatment, pasteurized donor human breast milk, and polycystic ovary syndrome treatment. This is culturally rooted care becoming LAW.
👶🏽 HB838 — MEDICAID DOULA CARE EXPANSION
Doula care under Medicaid now includes labor and delivery support AND linkage-to-care incentive payments for doulas. Birth workers who look like our community will finally be compensated for the life-saving work they do.
🩺 HB425 — REMOTE MONITORING FOR HIGH-RISK PREGNANT PATIENTS
Medicaid now covers remote patient monitoring for high-risk pregnant people AND pregnant people 35 and older — through 12 months postpartum. Because your care doesn't stop at delivery, and neither does ours.
🧠 HB1400 — MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS
Health insurers must now cover maternal mental health screenings — during pregnancy AND postpartum. Because we know the fourth trimester is real, and Black birthing people deserve mental health support without barriers.
📊 HB1403 — SEVERE MATERNAL MORBIDITY DATA
Virginia's Maternal Mortality Review Team has been expanded to track severe maternal morbidity — with regional and demographic breakdowns published publicly. You can't fix what you won't count.
🌿 HB283 & SB133 — PROTECTING PREGNANT PEOPLE FROM CRIMINALIZATION
Two bills now clarify that a pregnant person's prenatal substance use — especially when prescribed or in treatment — cannot solely be used to declare a child abused or neglected. T
⚖️ HB857, HB860 & HB861 — PROTECTING PREGNANT & POSTPARTUM INCARCERATED PEOPLE
Three bills now protect pregnant and postpartum people in Virginia's correctional facilities — from electronic incarceration alternatives, to new standards of care, to monthly reporting requirements.
🩺 SB22 — BIAS REDUCTION TRAINING FOR DOCTORS & NURSES
The Board of Medicine AND the Board of Nursing must now require continuing education on bias reduction in healthcare. This is the anti-racism mandate we've been fighting for — and we mean that literally. This bill was vetoed multiple times by our former Governor. But we didn't stop pushing. We didn't stop showing up. And now? It's heading to Governor Spanberger's desk. 🤎
💊 SB361 — NO-COST CONTRACEPTION COVERAGE
Health insurance carriers must now cover contraceptive drugs and devices — including over-the-counter options — with zero copays. Reproductive freedom isn't a luxury.
💰 SB1 — MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE
Virginia's minimum wage is headed to $15/hour by 2028. Economic justice IS maternal justice. When families earn a living wage, birthing people thrive.
🏢 SB3 & HB18 — EMPLOYER CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE
The Employee Child Care Assistance Program is now law — incentivizing employers to help cover the cost of child care for their workers. Families shouldn't have to choose between working and caring.
🔒 SB128 — PROTECTING HEALTHCARE WORKERS
Non-compete clauses are now banned for healthcare professionals — including doulas, nurses, and social workers. Birth workers deserve freedom to serve their communities.
🗳️ HJ1 & SJ1 — REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM AMENDMENT
This may be the biggest win of all. Both chambers passed the Reproductive Freedom constitutional amendment — which now heads to Virginia voters. Every individual's fundamental right to reproductive freedom will be on the ballot this November 2026.
🌈 A NOTE ON THE WORK STILL AHEAD
Not every bill made it this session. Some were continued, some were tabled — and we feel every one of those. The fight for comprehensive children's health coverage, fatherhood initiatives, sickle cell support, and so much more isn't over. It never is.
We will keep showing up — in person, online, and everywhere in between. We will keep building power. And we will be back.
In the meantime, thank you for being the reason we can celebrate today.
In solidarity and with so much gratitude,
Kenda Denia
Founder & President, Birth in Color
Cheyenne Combs
Advocacy Director, Birth in Color
🗳️ Stay Informed — Follow our bill tracker and advocacy updates at BirthinColor.org/vaadvocacy
🗓️ Join Us in April — Black Maternal Health Week is April 11–17, 2026. Join us in Richmond for our 4/17 Summit with fellow advocates 🔗 BirthinColor.org/bmhw
💛 Donate to the Work — These wins don't happen without boots on the ground, advocates in the Capitol, and a team that refuses to quit. If you can, please consider making a gift today. 🔗 BirthinColor.org/donate
