If you are reading this, you have likely heard the story. You have felt the outrage. Another Black woman, in desperate need of medical care, was turned away from a Hospital. She was forced to give birth on the side of the road! A dehumanizing, dangerous, and entirely preventable trauma.

This is not an isolated incident. It is a symptom of a systemic crisis.

The data is clear and damning: Black women in the United States are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. These disparities persist even when accounting for income and education levels. This is not about biology; this is about bias.

The time for reports, “unconscious bias” trainings, and empty promises is over. We need iron-clad laws with teeth. We need consequences.

Our mission is clear: Advocate for the swift passage of laws that will revoke medical licenses and hold medical staff criminally and civilly liable for discriminatory acts that lead to patient harm.

As lobbyists and advocates, our strategy must be sharp, focused, and relentless. Here are the fastest and most effective ways to create these new laws.

The Fastest Pathways to Enacting New Laws

Speed is crucial, but so is strategic precision. We must work on multiple tracks simultaneously.

1. The State-Level Offensive: Where Change Happens Fastest

Medical licensure is primarily a state function. Therefore, state legislatures are our most powerful and immediate battleground.

· Draft Model Legislation: We must create a powerful, clear, and concise “Model Bill” that can be adapted for any state. This bill must include:

  · “The Black Women’s Medical Accountability Act”: A clear title that states its purpose.

  · Criminal Penalties: Amending existing patient abuse or neglect statutes to explicitly define discriminatory denial of care as a felony, especially when it leads to severe harm or death.

  · Civil Liability: Creating a clear, private right of action for patients who experience discrimination, allowing for significant punitive damages beyond standard malpractice.

  · Licensing Consequences: Mandating the automatic suspension and potential permanent revocation of medical licenses for providers found guilty of discriminatory practices that result in patient harm.

  · Mandatory Reporting & Transparency: Requiring hospitals to publicly report demographic data on patient dismissals, complications, and complaints.

· Identify Champion Legislators: We will partner with state senators and assembly members, particularly Black women and allies in the Black, Latino, and Progressive caucuses, to introduce this bill.

· Mobilize Constituent Pressure: We will organize phone banks, email campaigns, and testify at committee hearings, putting a human face on this crisis.

2. The Federal Leverage: Using Money and Mandates

While the federal government doesn’t issue medical licenses, it controls the purse strings and can set national standards.

· Tie Federal Funding to Anti-Discrimination Compliance: Lobby for an amendment to existing healthcare funding (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare) that withholds federal dollars from any hospital or healthcare system that does not have a transparent, zero-tolerance policy for racial discrimination, with enforcement mechanisms mirroring our state-level model.

· Support & Strengthen Existing Federal Bills: Align with and push for stronger versions of federal initiatives like the “Momnibus Act,” specifically adding the criminal and civil liability provisions we are championing at the state level.

3. The Power of Public Narrative: Shame and Spotlight

Lobbying doesn’t just happen in hallways; it happens in headlines.

· Strategic Media Engagement: We will not let these stories fade. We will work with investigative journalists, opinion editors, and social media influencers to keep the spotlight on both the problem and our legislative solutions.

· Direct Action: Organized protests at state capitols and outside hospitals with egregious records will create the political urgency needed for lawmakers to act.

Our Immediate Call to Action: Join the Coalition

This will not be a victory won by a single group. We are building a broad, powerful coalition. Here’s how you can join the fight right now:

1. SIGN UP: Join our dedicated mailing list for lobbyists and advocates at [Insert Your Website’s Sign-Up Link Here] to receive the Model Legislation toolkit, policy briefs, and action alerts.

2. SHARE THIS STORY: Use your platforms. Share this blog post. Talk about the woman who gave birth on the side of the road. Personal stories break through the political noise.

3. CONTRIBUTE EXPERTISE: Are you a lawyer, policy writer, former legislator, or communications expert? We need your skills. Email us at [Insert Coalition Email Address].

4. START THE CONVERSATION IN YOUR STATE: We will provide you with everything you need to approach your local representatives. Be the catalyst in your community.

The Bottom Line

Turning away a woman in labor is not a “clinical error.” It is an act of profound negligence rooted in a culture of disregard for Black women’s lives. We have the power to replace that culture with one of accountability.

We will not wait for another headline. We will not wait for another funeral. We will legislate protection, and we will do it now.

The dignity, health, and lives of Black women are non-negotiable.

In solidarity,

Stephanie, New Rules America, LLC newrulesamerica.com

P.S. The next victim of this systemic failure could be your sister, your mother, your friend, your constituent. The time for action is now. Sign up and join us today.