Chapter 159

2015 -- H 5583 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 07/09/2015

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES

Introduced By: Representatives Handy, Blazejewski, Regunberg, Williams, and

Date Introduced: February 25, 2015

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 23-13-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-13 entitled "Maternal

and Child Health Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs" is hereby amended to

read as follows:

23-13-9. Licensing and regulation of midwives -- Penalty for violations. -- The state

director of health is authorized and directed to make rules for the regulation of the practice of

midwifery and for the licensing of midwives, including regulations which that require the

payment of an initial application fee equal to that fee which that is imposed upon applicants for

licensure as nurse practitioners and a renewal fee also equivalent to that for nurse practitioners.

The rules regarding the regulation of the practice of midwifery shall authorize a licensed

licensed, nurse-midwife certified nurse-midwife (CNM) or a licensed, certified midwife (CM) to

prescribe medications that might be reasonably required by his or her patients; provided however,

that a nurse-midwife licensed, certified nurse-midwife (CNM) or a licensed, certified midwife

(CM) shall prescribe any of those medications as authorized by a list prepared by the director of

health. The provisions of this section relating to prescription authority by nurse-midwives

certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives shall be overseen by the department of health as

defined in the department's rules and regulations for licensing of midwives [R23-13-MID]. No

person not a licensed midwife or a physician, registered under the provisions of chapter 37 of title

5, shall practice midwifery midwifery, or shall make a practice of attending women in childbirth

for hire, or use the name or title of midwife. Any person who violates the provisions of this

section section, or who violates any of the rules of the department of health made in pursuance of

this section shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars ($100), or imprisoned not more than

six (6) months, or both, and the director of health may revoke the license issued to any person

when, in the opinion of the director of health, that person is guilty of unprofessional conduct.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC001400/SUB A

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