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History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.871
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to midwifery birth centers
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Richard Gottfried
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S7121
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to midwifery birth centers
Purpose or general idea of bill
To authorize midwife-led birth centers
Summary of specific provisions
The bill amends Article 28 of the Public Health Law to authorize midwifery birth centers. The Commissioner of Health will issue regulations relating to their establishment, construction and operation, using state and national professional association standards in consultation with industry and midwives. Services would be by or under the supervision of a physician or midwife, and all in accordance with Education Law practice rules.
Justification
Midwifery birth centers are accredited by the American Association of Birth Centers, which provides quality-control standards and guidelines. They offer high quality, individualized, cost-effective care to promote optimum pregnancy outcomes. They encourage family-centered maternity and neonatal care, and promote and support breastfeeding. Birth centers operated by midwives consistently have low cesarean-section rates, fewer labor inductions, and successful parent bonding and breastfeeding without prolonged separation.
Midwife-led birth centers promote wellness-based birth over expensive technology and unnecessary interventions. They consistently earn high patient satisfaction from women seeking a welcoming environment without restrictions on the presence of supportive staff, friends, and family members. A 2013 study reported in The Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health detailing outcomes in midwifery birth centers across the U.S. from 2007 and 2010 found no maternal deaths and estimated that midwifery birth centers saved upwards of $30,000,000 for the 15,574 births included in the study.
This bill removes the existing barriers that restrict the establishment of freestanding birth centers led by licensed midwives and permits the Commissioner to determine which Article 28 certificate-of-need requirements are appropriate and reasonable for the scope of services provided. All Education Law rules governing midwifery practice will, of course, apply.
Prior legislative history
New bill
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
Immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.