SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025
- Sponsor
- Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40]
- Committees
- Energy and Commerce Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Sep 18, 2025
Bottom line
The SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025 seeks to enhance national understanding and public awareness of stillbirths through improved data collection, research, and educational initiatives.
What it actually does
This bill aims to improve research and data collection on stillbirths by authorizing grants to states for surveillance and data collection, including risk factors. It also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidelines for standardized data collection and develop educational awareness materials on stillbirths. Furthermore, it mandates a public report on educational guidelines for stillbirth and its risk factors.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue that this bill addresses a critical public health issue by standardizing and improving the collection of stillbirth data, which is currently inconsistent across states. They contend that better data will lead to a deeper understanding of stillbirth causes and risk factors, ultimately informing prevention strategies and providing better support for affected families. The educational materials are also seen as crucial for raising public awareness.
Opponents contend
No organized opposition is typically raised against legislation focused on improving public health data collection and awareness for stillbirths. Potential concerns, if any, might revolve around the administrative burden on states to implement new data collection standards or the effectiveness of federal funding in achieving consistent state-level improvements.
The bill is concise and clearly written, making it accessible for a quick and thorough understanding of its provisions.
Section 2(a)
Stillbirth Surveillance and Risk Factor Studies Grants
This provision authorizes the Secretary to award grants to states. These grants are intended to fund state efforts to conduct surveillance and collect data on stillbirths, including information from existing datasets like State or sub-State Fetal and Infant Mortality Review data. The grants will also help states build their public health capacity to analyze stillbirth data and collect information on stillbirth risk factors and their quantifiable outcomes. A key condition is that all collected data must be deidentified to protect patient privacy.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that consistent and comprehensive data collection is foundational to understanding the prevalence, causes, and risk factors of stillbirths. They believe these grants will empower states to fill critical data gaps, leading to more effective public health interventions and research.
Critics contend
No specific opposition is typically raised against this provision, as improving public health data is generally seen as beneficial. Potential concerns might include the administrative burden on states to apply for and manage these grants, or the challenge of ensuring data quality and standardization across diverse state systems.
Tradeoffs
The provision balances the need for robust data collection with the imperative to protect individual privacy by requiring deidentified data. It also navigates the tension between federal oversight and state autonomy by offering grants rather than mandates, allowing states to opt-in.
Section 2(b)
Guidelines and Educational Awareness Materials Development
This section directs the Secretary to create and disseminate guidelines for state health departments and vital statistics units on how to collect stillbirth data from healthcare providers, including clinical history, postmortem examination, and placental pathology, with the consent of the woman. It also requires the Secretary to develop and make publicly available educational materials about stillbirths. The Secretary is mandated to consult with a wide range of stakeholders, including health professionals, patient advocates, and individuals who have experienced stillbirth, during this process.
Section 3
Educational Guidelines Report
This section requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish a report on a public website within five years of the bill's enactment. This report must contain educational guidelines on stillbirth and its risk factors, and it should incorporate the guidelines and educational awareness materials developed under Section 2(b) of the Act.