Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 3059 into law, aimed at increasing access to donor milk for families, regardless of their insurance coverage.
Sponsored by Assemblywoman Akilah Weber from La Mesa, the legislation seeks to provide medically necessary milk to babies in neonatal intensive care units NICUs who may otherwise go without.
“Addressing disparities in health care starts with ensuring access to essential nutrition,” Weber stated.
With the mortality rate for Black infants being three times higher than that of white infants, it’s crucial to tackle health care inequities right from birth.
This bill marks a significant step in expanding access to donor milk for all families and will positively impact health outcomes for newborns and their families.
When mothers are unable to produce enough breast milk, pasteurized donor human milk serves as the next best nutritional option for infants with lower birth weights. AB 3059 classifies donor milk as essential under commercial insurance, aligning it with Medi-Cal standards.
Greater access to donor milk is crucial for the health and well-being of newborns and their families, said Dr. Michael V. Drake, President of the University of California.
We commend Assemblymember Weber for her leadership on AB 3059, and we are grateful to the Governor for signing this important bill into law.
At the University of California, we look forward to working together to ensure that infants, especially those from vulnerable families, have easier access to this vital nutrition.
Breast milk can reduce health risks for infants, such as necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious bowel disease that occurs about 60% more frequently in Black and Latino children, according to University of California data.
Donor milk is sourced from screened lactating individuals. Any excess milk is sent to accredited milk banks, where it is processed, pasteurized, tested, and distributed to NICUs, hospitals, and families when medically necessary, as stated by the UC.
Weber’s bill eliminates a regulation that previously required hospitals to have a tissue bank license to provide donor milk.
This change shifts the licensing burden to accredited milk banks, like the University of California Health Milk Bank.
The UC Health Milk Bank, run by UC San Diego Health, is one of three such banks in California, and UC Riverside Health has also recently opened a breast milk collection facility.
I have witnessed firsthand how donor milk enhances the health and survival of NICU babies, said Dr. Lisa Stellwagen, medical director of the UC Health Milk Bank.
I am grateful for Governor Newsom’s support of AB 3059, which will greatly facilitate hospitals’ ability to provide donor milk to those in need.
This law marks a significant advancement in improving health outcomes for NICU babies throughout California.