HB 214 New Mexico House · 2025 Regular Session

DOULA CREDENTIALING & ACCESS ACT

HB 214 establishes a voluntary credentialing system for doulas in New Mexico, allowing them to enroll as Medicaid providers. It requires the Health Department to create rules for education, training, and ethics standards, and forms a 15-member advisory council to ensure equitable access for underserved communities. The bill mandates hospitals and birth centers to develop policies permitting credentialed doulas to support patients during pregnancy and the first 12 months postpartum. Additionally, it creates a Doula Fund and requires annual reporting on service access and outcomes.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Mar 2025

Introduced Jan 29, 2025 Signed Mar 21, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

introduced version → Final Version · 8 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reformatted from a draft introduction to a final enacted version, with substantive policy additions including a new doula credentialing advisory council, mandatory annual reporting, creation of a doula fund, and requirements for hospitals and birth centers to create policies allowing credentialed doulas to accompany patients. The final version also expanded definitions and clarified enforcement mechanisms.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a general credentialing framework to include specific operational requirements for healthcare facilities and a dedicated advisory council to oversee implementation.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for hospitals and freestanding birth centers to create policies allowing credentialed doulas to accompany patients receiving certain services on their premises.

Established a new Doula Credentialing Advisory Council with 15 appointed members to oversee the credentialing program and meet quarterly starting September 1, 2025.

Added requirement for annual reporting on the credentialing program's operations and outcomes.

Added requirement for the secretary to create a publicly accessible online directory for identifying credentialed doulas.

Added requirement for the credentialing program to include workforce development practices promoting equitable access for underserved communities.

FISCAL

Created a new Doula Fund to support the credentialing program, with authority to collect fees from applicants and credentialed doulas.

DEFINITION

Expanded the definition of 'doula' to explicitly include services provided during pre-conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods to promote positive health outcomes.

ENFORCEMENT

Added authority for the department to issue cease-and-desist orders to individuals who violate the act's provisions regarding unauthorized use of the credentialed doula designation.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 16, 2025 · House Feb 24, 2025

How they voted

35–0

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 40

Mar 16, 2025

D Democratic24

23 Yea 1

95% Yea

R Republican16

12 Yea 4

75% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 21, 2025

Signed into law

Signed

executive

Mar 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

passed Senate

upper

Mar 16, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (35-0-5)

senate

Mar 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

upper

Mar 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

upper

Feb 25, 2025

Introduced

Sent to Senate Judiciary Committee & Senate Finance Committee

upper

Feb 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed House

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Introduced

Sent to House Health & Human Services Committee & House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee

lower

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors