North Carolina HB 495: Accessing Midwives Act.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 495

Short Title: Accessing Midwives Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Belk, Cunningham, Carney, and Ball (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
March 25, 2025
*H495-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL MIDWIVES LICENSING 2
ACT. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1. Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article 5
to read: 6
"Article 10B. 7
"Certified Professional Midwives. 8
"§ 90-178.10. Title. 9
This Article may be cited as the "Accessing Midwives Act." 10
"§ 90-178.11. Definitions. 11
The following definitions apply in this Article: 12
(1) AMCB. – The American Midwifery Certification Board. 13
(2) Antepartal. – Occurring during pregnancy. 14
(3) Certified Midwife (CM). – A person who has obtained national certification 15
from the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB). 16
(4) Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM). – A person approved to practice 17
Nurse-Midwifery under Article 10A of this Chapter. 18
(5) Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). – A person who has obtained national 19
certification from the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). 20
(6) Collaboration. – The process by which a licensed midwife and a physician or 21
other appropriate health care provider jointly manage the care of a client, as 22
defined by Council rule. 23
(7) Consultation. – The exchange of information and advice regarding the client's 24
condition and indicated treatment with a licensed physician or certified nurse 25
midwife. 26
(8) Council. – The North Carolina Council of Midwives, a subcommittee of the 27
Division of Health Service Regulation. 28
(9) Department. – The North Carolina Department of Health and Human 29
Services. 30
(10) Division. – The Division of Health Service Regulation within the Department 31
of Health and Human Services to which the North Carolina Council of 32
Midwives reports. 33
(11) Health care provider. – As defined in G.S. 90-21.11. 34
(12) ICM. – The International Confederation of Midwives. 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 495-First Edition
(13) Intrapartal. – Occurring during the process of giving birth. 1
(14) Licensed physician. – A physician duly licensed in this State to practice 2
medicine under Article 1 of this Chapter. 3
(15) Licensee. – A Certified Professional Midwife who holds the CPM credential 4
or a Certified Midwife who holds the CM credential and is licensed to practice 5
midwifery under this Article. 6
(16) Midwife. – A person who is trained to (i) give the necessary care and advice 7
to women during pregnancy, labor, and the post-birth period, (ii) conduct 8
normal deliveries as the midwife's own responsibility, (iii) care for the newly 9
born infant, and (iv) recognize the warning signs of abnormal conditions 10
requiring referral to or collaboration with a licensed physician or other 11
licensed health care provider. 12
(17) Midwifery. – The provision of primary health or maternity care to 13
childbearing people and infants. 14
(18) NACPM. – The National Association of Certified Professional Midwives. 15
(19) NARM. – The North American Registry of Midwives. 16
(20) Postpartal. – Occurring subsequent to birth. 17
(21) US MERA. – The United States Midwifery Education, Regulation, and 18
Association. 19
"§ 90-178.12. License required; exemptions. 20
(a) No person shall practice or offer to practice midwifery as defined in this Article or 21
otherwise indicate or imply that the person is a licensed Certified Professional Midwife or 22
Certified Midwife unless the person is currently licensed as provided in this Article. 23
(b) The provisions of this Article do not apply to any of the following: 24
(1) An individual approved to practice midwifery under Article 10A of this 25
Chapter. 26
(2) A physician licensed to practice medicine under Article 1 of this Chapter when 27
engaged in the practice of medicine as defined by law. 28
(3) The performance of medical acts by a physician assistant or nurse practitioner 29
when performed in accordance with the rules of the North Carolina Medical 30
Board. 31
(4) The practice of nursing by a registered nurse engaged in the practice of nursing 32
under Article 9A of this Chapter. 33
(5) The rendering of childbirth assistance in an emergency situation. 34
(6) Individuals who are present during the birth process or assisting the Certified 35
Professional Midwife in the birth process, including family members, birth 36
workers, or other caregivers invited by the birthing person, midwifery 37
students, and assistants who are under the supervision of a midwife licensed 38
under the provisions of this Article. 39
(7) A traditional birth attendant practicing midwifery without a license if the 40
traditional birth attendant has cu