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HB 1782 · 2026 · House · Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee

Rural maternal health care pilot program

AI-generated

relative to access to rural maternal health care and directing the department of health and human services to develop a rural maternal health care delivery pilot program.

Establishes a rural maternal health care delivery pilot program and a maternity care improvement commission to help provide prenatal and postnatal care to pregnant people living in rural areas with limited or no access to obstetric care services.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 5, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill establishes a rural maternal health care delivery pilot program and maternity care improvement commission to help provide prenatal and postnatal care to pregnant people living in rural areas where there is limited or no access to obstetric care services.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“The department of health and human services shall coordinate, operationalize, and determine best practices for a maternity home pilot program to provide prenatal and postnatal care to pregnant people living in rural areas where there is limited or no access to obstetric care services.”
RSA 326-D:15
“There is established a commission to study the development of strategic plans to improve maternal health in this state.”
RSA 326-D:16
“The department of health and human services shall develop a report on the pilot program's structure and implementation process, current functionality, barriers and successes, and viability of continuation and expansion.”
RSA 326-D:15
“The department shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before July 1, 2028.”
RSA 326-D:15

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Paige BeaucheminDPrime
  • Rep. Jennifer MandelbaumDClerk· State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

Also: Rep. Eleana ColbyD, Rep. Samantha JacobsD, Rep. Janet LucasD, Rep. Toni WeinsteinD

Public testimony

105 signed in online · 7 wrote testimony

97% support2% oppose1% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Libraries should be controlled by the people and not by the government--to preserve critical thinking and avoid authoritarianism.”
— Marie Nardino, Andoversupports
“I strongly support HB1782 because rural maternal health access is a critical public-health need. Families in rural communities face long travel times, limited provider availability, and rising maternity-ward closures.…”
— Hannah Meiselman, Manchestersupports
“I support this bill to establish a pilot program to deliver maternal health care to those in rural areas.”
— Nancy Miles, Hanoversupports

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Feb 11, 2026HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate16–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 5, 2026HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 11, 2026Public hearingHouse Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs4:05:49–4:13:598m 10slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Public Hearing; Executive Session
  • Feb 18, 2026Public hearingHouse Health, Human Services and Elderly AffairsWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full stream
  • Mar 5, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs HJ 1 P. 35
  2. Feb 11, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 02/11/2026 01:00 pm GP 158
  3. Feb 11, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/11/2026 02:30 pm GP 158
  4. Feb 11, 2026House: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/11/2026 (Vote 16-0; CC) HC 9 P. 17
  5. Mar 5, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 20

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.