HOUSE BILL NO. 35                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     An Act extending the termination date for the Board of                                                                     
     Certified Direct-Entry Midwives; and providing for an                                                                      
     effective date.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
BRODIE  ANDERSON,   STAFF,  REPRESENTATIVE   SCOTT  KAWASAKI,                                                                   
explained that the  bill would extend the sunset  date of the                                                                   
Board of  Certified Direct-Entry  Midwives to June  30, 2015,                                                                   
in accordance with the request  made by the Legislative Audit                                                                   
Division.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
The purpose of the Board is to  protect the health and safety                                                                   
of the public  by identifying individuals who  are willing to                                                                   
pursue  training and  meet  the qualifications  necessary  to                                                                   
become a  licensed midwife.   The Board  is composed  of five                                                                   
members:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   ·    Two certified direct entry midwives                                                                                     
   ·    One certified nurse midwife                                                                                             
   ·    One physician licensed by the Alaska State Medical                                                                      
        Board                                                                                                                   
   ·    One public member                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Vice Chair Stoltze inquired what  got Representative Kawasaki                                                                   
interested  in  midwifery.    Mr.  Anderson  noted  that  the                                                                   
Representative  works  in  the   health  care  profession  at                                                                   
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:56:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RICK  URION, DIRECTOR,  DIVISION  OF OCCUPATIONAL  LICENSING,                                                                   
DEPARTMENT OF  COMMUNITY &  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,  offered to                                                                   
answer questions of the Committee.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
DANA BROWN,  (TESTIFIED VIA TELECONFERENCE), CHAIR,  BOARD OF                                                                   
MIDWIVES,  ANCHORAGE,  testified in  support  of  the bill  &                                                                   
offered to answer questions of the Committee.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:57:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KAY KANNE,  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,  JUNEAU FAMILY BIRTH  CENTER,                                                                   
JUNEAU, noted she  is a Certified Direct-Entry  Midwife.  She                                                                   
urged support  of HB 35,  a bill to  extend licensing  of the                                                                   
Board  to  2015.    She  noted   that  Alaska  has  excellent                                                                   
midwifery  standards  resulting  from  past  efforts  of  the                                                                   
Legislature & the Board.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
The  Board   writes  and   implements  regulations   for  the                                                                   
governing of Certified Direct-Entry  midwives in Alaska.  The                                                                   
Board  strives for  the highest  standards and  as a  result,                                                                   
midwives  in  Alaska  are  professional,   well  trained  and                                                                   
provide safe care for women and families.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Kanne  added that Alaska has  the best midwifery  laws in                                                                   
the United States.   Many other states have  looked to Alaska                                                                   
as an example when passing midwifery  legislation.  She urged                                                                   
support of the bill.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:59:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Chenault asked  if midwives  attend  twice as  many                                                                   
births.    Ms.  Kanne explained  that  there  are  about  10%                                                                   
midwife assisted  births in Alaska;  nationwide, about  5% of                                                                   
all births are midwife assisted.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Chenault asked the requirements  for a midwife.  Ms.                                                                   
Kanne noted that there are two different types of midwives:                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
   ·    Certified Nurse Midwifery, regulated by the Nursing                                                                     
        Board and can graduate with 25-30 births;                                                                               
   ·    Certified Direct Entry Midwifery, requiring 60                                                                          
        births before they receive their licensing.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
In response  to Co-Chair Chenault,  Ms. Kanne  explained that                                                                   
the standards  for certified  direct entry  midwives  is high                                                                   
because out-of-hospital  births are  not as accepted  in this                                                                   
country  and it  is important  that the  midwives prove  they                                                                   
really know what they are doing in order to get licensed.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster MOVED to  REPORT HB 35 out of Committee                                                                   
with  individual recommendations  and  with the  accompanying                                                                   
new  fiscal  note.   There  being  NO  OBJECTION, it  was  so                                                                   
ordered.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
HB  35  was  reported  out of  Committee  with  a  "do  pass"                                                                   
recommendation  and  with a  new  fiscal  note by  the  House                                                                   
Finance  Committee for  Department of  Commerce, Community  &                                                                   
Economic Development.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
AT EASE:       2:02:40 PM                                                                                                     
RECONVENE:     2:03:57 PM                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:04:06 PM