03/11/2024 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

               HB 175-BOARD OF LICENSED MIDWIVES                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
4:45:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RUFFRIDGE  announced  that   the  next  order  of                                                               
business would be SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE  FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 175, "An                                                               
Act relating to midwives and  the practice of midwifery; relating                                                               
to apprentice  midwives; renaming the Board  of Certified Direct-                                                               
Entry Midwives  as the  Board of  Licensed Midwives;  relating to                                                               
the Board  of Licensed Midwives;  extending the  termination date                                                               
of the  Board of  Licensed Midwives;  relating to  insurance; and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
4:45:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE opened public testimony on HB 175.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:46:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JENNIFER CAVE,  Vice President,  Midwives Association  of Alaska;                                                               
Owner,  The Nesting  Place,  testified in  support  of SSHB  175.                                                               
With the  recent extension of  the postpartum period  by Medicaid                                                               
to one  year after  birth, she  said it's  fitting that  SSHB 175                                                               
would expand the  scope to allow the  one-year postpartum period.                                                               
She said the bill would help  ease the burden of doctors and give                                                               
clients the  care they need  in a  timely fashion.   In addition,                                                               
SSHB  175 would  ensure that  insurance companies  reimburse home                                                               
births in Alaska and save clients' money.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:50:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BARBARA NORTON,  representing self,  spoke in opposition  to SSHB
.   She said  she supported  the overriding  of EO  130, which                                                               
would disband the Board of  Direct Entry Midwives (CDM); however,                                                               
she said  she does  not support  the statute  changes in  HB 175.                                                               
She listed  the following changes  as "counter to  common sense:"                                                               
removing  the  doctor  and  nurse  midwife  from  the  board  and                                                               
replacing them  with direct entry midwives;  eliminating the need                                                               
for  a diploma;  prohibiting regulations  requiring collaboration                                                               
with  hospitals,   doctors,  or  advanced   nurse  practitioners;                                                               
removing  the  requirement  that  preceptors  may  not  have  any                                                               
experience to train new midwives;  removing the language that has                                                               
for  32 years,  recommended  that women  entering prenatal  care,                                                               
receive  a  physical exam  by  a  doctor or  nurse  practitioner;                                                               
expanding   the   scope  of   direct   entry   care  to   include                                                               
preconception care.  She shared  an anecdote.  She urged sensible                                                               
direct entry midwives  to get back on their board  and change the                                                               
regulations back  to pre-2023  to ensure  that the  public's best                                                               
interest.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:56:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE  closed public  testimony on HB  175 and                                                               
announced that the bill would be held over.