SACRAMENTO – Governor Jerry Brown on Thursday signed four bills to protect pregnant women and new mothers.

The bills ensure maternity services are covered by health insurers and new mothers can no longer lose their health insurance as a result of taking maternity leave.

“Healthy mothers mean healthy babies. I want the next generation of Californians to get the best possible start in life,” said Brown. “The bills I signed today require that insurance companies cover maternity services for pregnant women, and ensures that mothers who take maternity leave no longer have to fear losing their medical coverage.”

The following bills have been signed by Gov. Brown:

• SB 222 by Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) and AB 210 by Assemblymember Roger Hernandez (D-Baldwin Park) – Together, these bills require that every individual and group health insurance policy must provide coverage for maternity services.

• SB 299 by Sen. Noreen Evans – This bill prohibits employers from refusing to maintain and pay for coverage under group health plans for women who take maternity leave.

Gov. Brown also signed SB 502 by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), the Hospital Infant Feeding Act, which will help hospitals promote breast feeding.