Pregnant Students’ Rights Act
Description
This bill would require colleges to inform students about rights and resources available to help them carry a pregnancy to term.
Summary
What it does
This bill would require colleges and universities participating in federal student aid programs to provide information to students regarding the rights and resources available for carrying a pregnancy to term. Institutions would be required to share details on campus and community support services, available academic accommodations, and the process for filing discrimination complaints related to a student's decision to carry a baby to term. These notifications would be provided to both prospective and currently enrolled students.
Who is affected
This bill affects institutions of higher education that participate in federal student aid programs. It also impacts prospective and enrolled students who are pregnant or may become pregnant while enrolled, as well as students seeking to parent a child after birth. Additionally, the bill involves community and on-campus resource providers that offer support services and accommodations for pregnant students.
Key provisions
- Institutional notification of pregnant students' rights. Requires institutions of higher education participating in federal student aid programs to inform prospective and enrolled students of their rights and resources regarding carrying a pregnancy to term.
- Resource disclosure for pregnancy and childcare. Mandates that institutions provide a list of available on-campus and community resources dedicated to assisting students in carrying a baby to term and providing care after birth.
- Information on academic and parenting accommodations. Directs institutions to provide information about specific accommodations available to support students who choose to carry a baby to term and parent after the child is born.
- Discrimination complaint procedures. Requires institutions to provide instructions on how students can file a discrimination complaint related to their decision to carry a pregnancy to term.
Fiscal impact
- H.R. 6359, Pregnant Students’ Rights Act· As ordered reported by the House Committee on Education and Workforce on January 8, 2026
Effective dates
Not applicable: Official Summary does not address effective dates
Relationship to existing law
This bill establishes new requirements for institutions of higher education that participate in federal student aid programs, specifically regarding the disclosure of rights and resources for pregnant students under existing federal non-discrimination frameworks.
Stated purpose
The bill aims to ensure that prospective and enrolled students at institutions of higher education are informed of their rights and the available resources to support them in carrying a pregnancy to term and caring for a child after birth.