Momnibus 2.0 Signed Into Law, Marking Major Win for New Hampshire Moms
This maternal mental health package was included as part of the state budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027
CONCORD (June 27, 2025) – Today, New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte signed “Momnibus 2.0” into law – a comprehensive maternal mental health package included in the state’s Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget. The passage of this critical legislation into law marks a major win for moms, babies, and families across the state. Lead sponsors, Senator Denise Ricciardi (R-Bedford) and Senator Sue Prentiss (D-Lebanon), working alongside a broad coalition of maternal health advocates, including Reproductive Equity Now, MomsRising, New Futures, and the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation, championed the inclusion of Momnibus 2.0 to address the urgent maternal mental health needs facing Granite Staters.
“Reprodcutive Equity Now is overjoyed to see Momnibus 2.0 be signed into law,” said Christina Warriner, New Hampshire State Director for Reproductive Equity Now. “Moms deserve our full support – and this investment in their mental health and wellbeing will empower more Granite State families to thrive. This massive step forward for maternal health and reproductive equity was hard earned by moms and advocates, and we are proud to have worked alongside them to make invaluable progress for Granite State moms. ”
"The inclusion of MOMnibus 2.0 in the budget signed by Governor Ayotte is a hard-won and deeply meaningful victory for moms in the Granite State,” said MacKenzie Nicholson, Senior Director for MomsRising New Hampshire. “In a year where many parts of the budget fall short for families, this maternal health package persisted because of the unwavering advocacy of moms who shared their stories, showed up, and refused to be ignored. This win belongs to them. New Hampshire continues to face a maternal health crisis, marked by high rates of postpartum depression, rising maternal mortality and shrinking access to care. With the passage of MOMnibus 2.0 through the budget, we are taking meaningful steps toward addressing those challenges. And it happened because families spoke up and demanded better."
"Today's passage of Momnibus 2.0 represents a transformative investment in New Hampshire families and our state's future. This comprehensive legislation addresses critical gaps in maternal mental health care, strengthens workforce protections for parents, and expands vital family supports that will help mothers and children thrive. At New Futures, we've seen firsthand how strategic policy investments can change lives, and Momnibus 2.0 builds on the success of our previous efforts to create a stronger safety net for families across the Granite State. This bipartisan achievement shows what's possible when we prioritize the health and well-being of mothers and children – the foundation of strong communities and a robust economy," said Rebecca Woitkowski, Child and Family Policy Director, New Futures.
"The Women's Foundation is proud that Momnibus 2.0, a comprehensive bill that supports moms, babies and families across New Hampshire, has been signed into law! Hundreds of OBGYNs, physicians, advocates, and moms wrote, called, and testified to the New Hampshire legislature throughout this session to advocate for Momnibus 2.0 by sharing their stories of loss, love, isolation, desperation, community, and hope. Together women's voices truly made a difference in making sure this important legislation became a reality,” said Devan Quinn, Director of Policy, New Hampshire Women’s Foundation.
This February, bipartisan lawmakers joined a coalition of maternal health advocates to introduce Senate Bill 246, commonly referred to as “Momnibus 2.0.” This legislation aimed to improve maternal mental health, strengthen workforce protections, expand family supports, and support moms across New Hampshire. After unanimous support in the Senate, Momnibus 2.0 was included in the legislature’s final budget.
The budget signed into law included Momnibus 2.0 and will directly allocate general funds to train rural emergency responders on perinatal and birthing emergencies, as well as study regulatory burdens for independent birth centers. It also includes policy components, including increased access to home visiting for commercially insured pregnant and postpartum moms, increased access to depression screenings during well-child visits for pregnant or postpartum patients, a study to implement a perinatal peer mental health support program in the state, a plan to implement a provider-to-provider perinatal psychiatric call line, unpaid hourly time off for parents to attend postpartum and pediatric healthcare visits in the first year of a newborn’s life, and the ability for insurers to waive copays for mental health and substance use treatment for perinatal patients.
New Hampshire moms continue to face large gaps in maternal health and wellness. Behavioral health, including substance overdoses, is the leading cause of maternal mortality in New Hampshire. In the past two decades, 11 maternity wards in the state have closed.
This bill builds off the success of Momnibus 1.0, which was signed into law in 2023 and took steps to improve maternal health by increasing access to lactation and doula services, investing in family resource centers, and expanding Medicaid coverage for postpartum moms.
###
Momnibus 2.0 is part of Reproductive Equity Now’s New Hampshire 2025 legislative priorities, which include improving maternal health outcomes, as well as affirming abortion as health care and fighting back against anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ attacks.