HB 927 Mississippi House · 2025 Regular Session

Midwifery; provide for licensure and regulation of.

HB 927 establishes a state licensing system for professional midwives in Mississippi, requiring them to obtain a license from the newly created State Board of Licensed Midwifery. The bill mandates that health insurance plans covering maternity must also cover and reimburse services provided by licensed midwives, while prohibiting discriminatory language against midwifery in insurance policies. It exempts certified nurse midwives and physicians from licensing requirements and clarifies that midwifery is not considered the practice of medicine. The law sets standards for midwifery practice, including scope of care and confidentiality rules, and creates a regulatory framework for oversight and enforcement.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 17, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Committee Substitute → Current version · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended after passing the House to add a new professional midwifery organization (Sisters in Birth) to the list of nominating entities, adjust formatting of fee schedule language, and add a repeal date that effectively nullifies the act's intended July 1, 2025 effective date. These changes reflect post-committee adjustments to organizational representation and create a scheduling conflict that prevents the bill from taking effect as originally written.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include Sisters in Birth as a nominating organization for board positions, though the effective date repeal creates a scope limitation by nullifying the entire act's implementation.

ELIGIBILITY

Added Sisters in Birth as a seventh organization eligible to nominate candidates for professional midwifery board positions

TIMELINE

Added a repeal date of June 30, 2025 to Section 15, which conflicts with the July 1, 2025 effective date and renders the act non-functional

TECHNICAL

Adjusted formatting of fee schedule language and organization name formatting for consistency

As Introduced → Committee Substitute · 12 edits

MAJOR

This bill creates a new regulatory framework for professional midwifery in Mississippi, establishing a licensing system, defining the scope of practice, and creating a state board to oversee the profession. The changes expand access to midwifery care while setting clear standards for practice, safety, and accountability.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope by creating a formal licensure system for professional midwives, previously unregulated in Mississippi, while explicitly excluding certified nurse midwives, physicians, students, doulas, and emergency responders from these requirements.

DEFINITION

New definitions for key terms including 'licensed midwife', 'professional midwifery', 'antepartum', 'intrapartum', 'postpartum', and 'normal' to clarify the scope of practice.

Amends Mississippi Code Section 73-25-33 to clarify that the practice of midwifery is not considered the practice of medicine, while exempting females solely engaged in midwifery from certain provisions.

REQUIREMENT

Establishes a State Board of Licensed Midwifery with nine members appointed by the Governor, including six practicing midwives, one perinatal care provider, one public member, and the Executive Director of the State Department of Health.

Defines the scope of practice for licensed midwives to include primary maternity care for low-risk women, nonprescriptive family planning, and collaboration with other healthcare providers, while prohibiting surgical procedures and use of forceps or vacuum extraction.

Allows licensed midwives to administer specific medications including Vitamin K, antihemorrhagic agents, local anesthetics, oxygen, prophylactic eye agents, RhoGam, and intravenous fluids.

Requires licensed midwives to register births, report statistical data to the board, and provide written disclosures to clients about their qualifications, referral criteria, and disciplinary history.

Mandates that health coverage plans providing maternity benefits must cover services rendered by licensed midwives and cannot discriminate against professional midwifery in terminology or reimbursement rates.

Requires the State Department of Health to develop a safe perinatal transfer certification for facilities it regulates within 24 months.

Establishes confidentiality protections for client records and requires all statistical data reporting to be anonymized before publication.

ENFORCEMENT

Creates penalties for violations including a $1,000 monetary penalty for first and subsequent violations, with additional authority to revoke or suspend licenses for up to two years.

TIMELINE

Requires the board to promulgate rules by July 1, 2026, and establishes that the act takes effect on July 1, 2025.

ELIGIBILITY

Provides for temporary permits lasting up to 24 months for apprentices or out-of-state licensed midwives while they complete qualification requirements for full licensure.

Floor votes · House Feb 13, 2025

How they voted

87–23

Passed · 9 other

Total votes 119

Feb 13, 2025

D Democratic39

31 Yea 5 Nay 3

79% Yea

I Independent2

2 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican78

54 Yea 18 Nay 6

69% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 18, 2025

Committee

Referred To Public Health and Welfare

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To Senate

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed As Amended

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amended

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Committee

Referred To Public Health and Human Services

lower

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors