2023 Legislative Action

As of July 2023 the State of Hawai'i has mandated Midwifery Education through programs that are not accessible to Hawai'i Residents meaning that we have no Native Hawaiian Licensed Midwives in the entire state.

Additionally they have denies access a nationally recognized Apprenticeship Training Pathway which would help local women to become midwives and access midwives in their own communities.   

In the January 2023 Legislative Session:  HB955 and Companion bill SB1047  were introduced with overwhelming support.  HB955 received over 1200 supportive testimony and passed successfully through the House Committee on Health and Consumer Protection.  Unfortunately it stalled in the House Finance Committee.   SB1047 was not introduced in the 2024 session. 

Since these are BIENNIUM Bills (Two-year term of legislative activity), these Bills will pick up where they left off at the Beginning of the next legislative session in JANUARY 2024. 

In Support of Midwifery Exemption and Expanded Access:

Over 1300 public and organizational testimonies

• Hawai’i Department of Consumer Affairs, DCCA: verbally testified in support of permanent exemption of Birth Attendants & verbally testified they would enforce regulation of Birth Attendants.

• North American Registry of Midwives, NARM: the certifying body for licensed midwives in Hawai'i as defined in HRS457-J

• Papa Ola Lokahi, supporting the exemption since no Kupuna Council has yet to be formed in protection of Native Hawaiian Practitioners

• Maui County Council, Resolution 23-28

  
  

• Mayor Bissen, Maui County

• Hawaiʻi County Council, Resolution 57-23

• Kauai'i County Council, Resolution 2023-31

  
  

• American College of Nurse-Midwives, ACNM, Hawai’i Chapter

• United Nations

• National Aboriginal Council of Midwives, NACM

• 32k + Women and families around the world who have signed our petition!

Media Coverage:

• Mar 2023 Maui News Now: Midwifery licensing bill reaches crucial deadline

• Mar 2023 Hawai'i News Now, Mahealani Richardson: Fearing the future of their work, traditional midwives rally at state Capitol 

• Mar 2023 Hawai'i News Now: Hawaii midwives stage sit-in, saying their services could be banned without legislative action

• Feb 2023 Civil Beat: Midwives will soon need a license, Many Push Back 

• Feb 2023 Hawai'i Public Radio: Midwifery Licensure Laws up for debate at State Legislature