STAND. COM. REP. NO.  777

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2019

 

RE:   H.B. No. 490

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 490 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LICENSURE OF MIDWIVES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to regulate midwives engaged in the practice of midwifery by:

 

     (1)  Establishing licensure of midwives including scope of practice, professional code of conduct, continuing education requirements, and prescriptive drug authority;

 

     (2)  Appropriating funds from the Compliance Resolution Fund to implement the licensure of midwives; and

 

     (3)  Exempting traditional birth attendants and Native Hawaiian healers from licensure requirements.

 

     Hawaii Pacific Health; North American Registry of Midwives; Early Childhood Action Strategy; Hawaii Maternal & Infant Health Collaborative; American Academy of Pediatrics, Hawaii Chapter; American Association of University Women of Hawaii; Behavior Medicine Associates, University of Hawaii; Hawaii Women's Coalition; Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children; Breastfeeding Hawaii; Hawaii Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives; Hawaii Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; American College of Nurse-Midwives Committee of Midwife Advocates for Certified Midwives; My Children; and many concerned individuals supported this measure.  Wearing and Caring, LLC; Hawaii Home Birth Collective; Hawaii Home Birth Elders Council; Sacred Healing Arts LLC; Hawaii Midwifery Council; Hoomana Pono, LLC; Aoki Birthing Care, LLC; The Christian Churches; Informed Choice Birth Services; Conscious Commerce; Hoopae Pono Peace Project; Birth Believers; Roots Remedies Hawaii; Hawaii Home Birth Committee; Hale Kealaula, LLC; Anne Dericks, ND LLC; and many concerned individuals opposed this measure.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Midwives Alliance of Hawaii, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Hawaii Children's Action Network, Young Progressives Demanding Action, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, Papa Ola Lokahi, and a concerned individual offered comments.

 

     Your Committee strongly supports women's access to safe, qualified, highly skilled providers in all aspects of the birthing process.  While some medical providers believe that hospitals or accredited birth centers are the safest settings for birth, your Committee strongly supports women and their choice to make a medically informed decision as to their maternity care and delivery.  Accordingly, your Committee encourages all stakeholders to collaborate and develop language to improve this measure as it moves through the legislative process by focusing on mothers' choices with delivery options and a midwife definition.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion on this measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 490, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 490, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair