SB246 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Paul Bussman

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Hank SandersPaul SanfordShadrack McGillBill HoltzclawTammy Irons

Session

Regular Session 2013

Title

Midwives, State Board of Midwifery, established, licensure and regulation, penalties, Secs. 34-19-11 to 34-19-19, inclusive, added; Secs. 22-9A-7, 34-43-3 am'd; Secs. 34-19-2 to 34-19-10, inclusive, repealed

Summary

This bill creates a State Board of Midwifery to license and regulate midwives, replaces prior midwifery provisions, and updates related birth-record and regulatory rules.

What This Bill Does

It would establish the State Board of Midwifery to license midwives and regulate the practice, including setting fees and continuing-education requirements. It defines who can be licensed, what actions midwives can and cannot perform, and how disciplinary actions are handled. It also requires informed consent, birth certificate filing by midwives, and public disclosure of licensed practitioners and penalties for violations, while repealing the old midwifery statutes and adjusting related birth-record and regulatory provisions.

Who It Affects

• Pregnant individuals and their newborns who choose midwifery care would be affected through new licensing rules, informed-consent requirements, emergency-care planning, and the requirement that births be properly documented with birth certificates.
• Midwives and people seeking licensure (including those pursuing endorsement in Alabama) would be affected by new licensing processes, education and experience requirements, board rules, fees, ongoing education, and potential disciplinary actions or license revocation.

Key Provisions

• Creates the State Board of Midwifery with seven members (four licensed professional midwives, one physician, and two members who have used midwifery services) and outlines terms, meetings, and governance.
• Defines Licensed Midwife (LM) and Midwifery, and sets credentialing and licensure standards, including endorsement for those licensed elsewhere and license validity of 24 months.
• Establishes licensing fees, continuing education requirements, and authority to impose up to $1,000 fines for rule violations; requires a public list of licensees and disciplinary actions.
• Prohibits certain practices (epidurals, narcotics, use of forceps/vacuum, abortion, cesarean) and authorizes rules on scope of practice, risk assessment, internships, and professional liability insurance.
• Requires informed consent prior to service, client disclosures about the midwife and services, and the filing of birth certificates by the midwife with emergency-care planning for each client.
• Unlicensed practice would be a Class C misdemeanor, with specific exceptions for certified nurse-midwives and trainees; grants certain immunities to midwives, physicians, and hospitals in emergency situations.
• Disciplinary processes allow investigations, suspensions, revocations, and endorsements-based restrictions; maintains public records of actions with details such as penalties and dates.
• Repeals the prior midwifery statutes (34-19-2 to 34-19-10) and makes related amendments to birth-record (22-9A-7) and massage-therapy definitions (34-43-3); includes a Sunset-Law-based termination timeline.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Midwives