SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 2858
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-14T11:03:27Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn Act of 2025 (SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025) aims to enhance research, data collection, and public awareness about stillbirths—a stillbirth is defined as the loss of a baby at or after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It seeks to improve surveillance of stillbirths, standardize data reporting, and provide educational resources to better understand and address risk factors.
Key Provisions
- Grants for State-Level Surveillance and Data Collection (Section 2(a)):
- The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) may award grants to states to:
- Conduct surveillance and gather data on stillbirths, including from existing sources like state fetal and infant mortality reviews.
- Build public health capacity at state and local levels to analyze stillbirth data.
- Report on stillbirth risk factors and related outcomes.
- All data must be de-identified (meaning personal details are removed) to protect privacy, complying with federal and state privacy laws.
- Authorizes $5 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
- Guidelines and Educational Materials (Section 2(b)):
- HHS must issue guidelines to state health departments and vital statistics units (entities responsible for maintaining records like births and deaths) on:
- Collecting stillbirth data from healthcare providers, including clinical history, postmortem exams, and placental analysis, with the consent of affected individuals.
- Improving training and processes for consistent and complete data reporting.
- HHS must develop and publicly share educational materials on stillbirths.
- Guidelines and materials are developed in consultation with a wide range of experts, including healthcare professionals (e.g., doctors, nurses, midwives), public health officials, mental health experts, statisticians, affected individuals, and advocacy groups.
- Authorizes $1 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
- Public Report on Educational Guidelines (Section 3):
- Within five years of enactment, HHS must publish a report on its public website compiling the guidelines and educational materials from Section 2.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends Title III of the Public Health Service Act (a key federal law governing public health programs) by adding a new section (317L-2). It introduces specific funding and requirements for stillbirth data collection, which were not previously mandated at the federal level. Prior to this, stillbirth tracking relied on inconsistent state practices without dedicated federal grants or standardized guidelines.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: State and local health departments and vital statistics units will gain resources to improve data systems and training, potentially reducing administrative burdens through standardization. HHS will oversee grant distribution and guideline development, increasing its role in maternal and fetal health surveillance.
- On Citizens: Families affected by stillbirths may benefit from better risk factor research, leading to improved prevention strategies and support services. Educational materials could raise public awareness, helping expectant parents and communities address risks earlier.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic public health without international components.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State and Local Governments: Health departments and vital statistics units receiving grants and guidelines.
- Healthcare Providers: Obstetricians, nurses, midwives, and others involved in data collection and patient care, who will follow new reporting standards.
- Affected Families and Advocacy Groups: Individuals who have experienced stillbirths and organizations supporting bereavement and burial services, consulted in development and benefiting from awareness efforts.
- Public Health Researchers and Officials: Gain access to improved, de-identified data for studies on risk factors.
- Federal Agencies: Primarily HHS, tasked with implementation and funding oversight.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Emphasizes privacy protections by requiring de-identification and compliance with laws like HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which safeguards health information), avoiding potential privacy violations. Consent requirements for data sharing respect individual rights.
- Constitutional: Aligns with the federal government's authority under the Commerce Clause to regulate public health and interstate data collection; no apparent conflicts with state sovereignty, as it provides optional grants.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (from senators across party lines) signals broad support for maternal health issues. The bill's focus on research without mandating abortions or other controversial policies minimizes political divisiveness, potentially aiding passage in a divided Congress. It could set a precedent for targeted funding in under-addressed areas of reproductive health.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (41)
Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS], Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM], Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME], Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI], Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS], Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM], Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID], Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC], Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA], Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND], Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ], Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV], Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA], Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC], Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA], Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID], Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT], Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK], Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ], Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL], Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME], Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK], Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO], Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN], Sen. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK], Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI], Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE], Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD], Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-09-18: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-18 — PDF (5 pages)