Baby Changing in Health Centers Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Baby Changing in Health Centers Act amends section 330 of the Public Health Service Act. As a condition of receiving health center grants, HHS must require health centers to assure that restrooms in their facilities have baby changing tables that are physically safe, sanitary, and appropriate. The requirement does not apply to nonpublic restrooms, restrooms with clear signs directing users to another same-floor restroom with a changing table, or facilities where new construction would be needed and the cost is unfeasible. The requirement is subject to reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Health centers may use section 330 grant funds to acquire and install changing tables and signs. The bill defines baby changing table, preserves more stringent State and local requirements, authorizes an additional $5 million solely to help health centers comply, applies immediately to facilities acquired, constructed, or substantially renovated after enactment, and applies five years after enactment to other facilities.
Who Benefits and How
Parents, guardians, and caregivers using community health centers benefit because more public restrooms would have safe and sanitary changing surfaces. Infants and toddlers benefit from safer diaper-changing conditions during health visits. Health centers with older facilities benefit from permission to use grant funds and from the $5 million supplemental authorization for tables and signage.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Federally funded health centers must assess restrooms, install changing tables or signs, document assurances, and coordinate ADA accommodations. HHS health center grant staff must enforce the condition and administer supplemental funds. Federal taxpayers fund the additional $5 million authorization, and facilities that are not exempt may bear installation or renovation costs.
Key Provisions
- Requires health centers receiving section 330 grants to assure that public restrooms have safe, sanitary, and appropriate baby changing tables.
- Exempts nonpublic restrooms, same-floor signed alternatives, and installations requiring unfeasible new construction.
- Subjects the requirement to reasonable ADA accommodations.
- Allows health center grant funds to pay for changing tables and required signs.
- Authorizes an additional $5 million solely to help health centers comply.
- Applies immediately to newly acquired, constructed, or substantially renovated facilities and after five years to other facilities.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Requires federally funded health centers to assure that public restrooms have physically safe, sanitary, and appropriate baby changing tables, allows grant funds and a $5 million supplement for installation and signs, preserves exceptions, and phases in the requirement for new or renovated facilities immediately and other facilities after five years.
Key Policy Areas
Healthcare, Family Facilities, Public Health
Primary Purpose
Requires federally funded health centers to assure that public restrooms have physically safe, sanitary, and appropriate baby changing tables, allows grant funds and a $5 million supplement for installation and signs, preserves exceptions, and phases in the requirement for new or renovated facilities immediately and other facilities after five years.
Policy Domains
Substantive provisions
Identified Gains
- Parents using health centers
- Caregivers using health centers
- Infants at community health centers
- Federally funded health centers
Identified Costs
- Health center facility managers
- HHS health center grant staff
- Federal taxpayers
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMs. Underwood (for herself and Mr. Van Drew) introduced the …
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Caregivers using health centers, Infants at community health centers, Parents using health centers
Federally funded health centers, Health center facility managers
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology