SB99 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Paul Bussman

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Midwives, physiologic childbirth, providing women the right to choose physiologic childbirth, providing immunity to midwives and certain healthcare providers who assist in physiologic childbirths, Sec. 34-19-11 added

Summary

SB99 would give women the right to choose physiologic childbirth outside a hospital and shield midwives and certain health care providers from criminal or civil liability for assisting with that choice.

What This Bill Does

It adds a new section to Alabama law defining midwives and physiologic childbirth. It guarantees a woman's right to autonomy in choosing where and with whom to give birth, including directing necessary care if birth occurs outside a licensed facility. It provides criminal immunity for midwives and civil immunity for certain health care providers who assist with physiologic births, protecting them from liability related to such births. It also repeals conflicting laws and sets the act to take effect a few months after passage.

Who It Affects

• Women who choose physiologic childbirth outside a hospital: gain the right to decide the birth location and the people who assist, and to direct the care they receive.
• Midwives and certain health care providers (e.g., physicians, nurses, pre-hospital personnel, and health care institutions): gain immunity from criminal prosecution or civil liability for acts related to physiologic childbirth outside a hospital.

Key Provisions

• Defines midwife as a person with current midwifery certification who provides support and assistance in good faith to a woman choosing physiologic childbirth outside a hospital.
• Defines physiologic childbirth as labor that begins and progresses spontaneously to a spontaneous vaginal birth with physiological blood loss.
• Grants a woman the right to autonomy in choosing birth location and provider; allows her to direct care when not under a licensed health care provider; makes her responsible for outcomes and permits seeking medical care if needed.
• Provides immunity: no midwife assisting shall be criminally prosecuted for practicing as an unlicensed provider for physiologic childbirth; licensed physicians, nurses, EMS, or health care institutions shall not be liable for acts or omissions related to such births.
• Repeals laws that conflict with these provisions and establishes the act's effective date as the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

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