Rep. Von Haefen files bill in North Carolina House to address maternal health disparities

A new bill filed by State Rep. Von Haefen seeks to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce disparities through programs supporting education, training, and access to care, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 725 on April 2 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘MOMnibus 3.0.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill, the North Carolina MOMnibus Act, aims to address maternal mortality and health disparities among Black women by establishing several programs and initiatives. The Maternal Care Access Grant Program will provide competitive grants to community-based organizations focused on preventing maternal mortality and severe morbidity among Black women, effective July 1, 2025. Additionally, an implicit bias training program for perinatal healthcare professionals will be launched to mitigate bias in patient treatment, effective October 1, 2025. The bill also supports the recruitment, training, and retention of diverse lactation consultants through funding for training programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Furthermore, the Perinatal Education Grant Program will award grants to expand educational programs in underserved areas. The act also allocates funding for the Momni-Bus Initiative, which aims to enhance access to maternal and infant health services in regions lacking adequate maternity care.

A related bill, SB 571, was also filed in the North Carolina Senate, introduced by Sen. Natalie S. Murdock (and two others) on March 25, 2025.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Zack Hawkins proposed the most bills (27) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Haefen graduated from Ohio University in 1992 with a BA and again in 1995 from Case Western Reserve University with a JD.

Haefen, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2019 to represent the state’s 36th House district, replacing previous state representative Nelson Dollar.