BILL REQ. #:  H-1258.1 

Read first time 02/08/13.   Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.

     AN ACT Relating to the practice of midwifery; and amending RCW 18.50.010, 18.50.065, and 18.50.102.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 18.50.010 and 1991 c 3 s 103 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any person shall be regarded as practicing midwifery within the meaning of this chapter who shall render medical aid for a fee or compensation to a woman during prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum stages or to her infant up to two weeks of age or who shall advertise as a midwife by signs, printed cards, or otherwise. Nothing shall be construed in this chapter to prohibit gratuitous services. It shall be the duty of a midwife to consult with a physician whenever there are significant deviations from normal in either the mother or the infant.

Sec. 2   RCW 18.50.065 and 1991 c 332 s 32 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) An applicant holding a credential in another state may be credentialed to practice in this state without examination if the secretary determines that the other state's credentialing standards are substantially equivalent to the standards in this state.
     (2) The secretary shall write rules to bridge the gap between requirements of national certification of certified professional midwives and state requirements for licensure for licensed midwives.

Sec. 3   RCW 18.50.102 and 1996 c 191 s 25 are each amended to read as follows:
     ((Every person licensed to practice midwifery shall register with the secretary and pay a renewal fee)) (1) A licensed midwife must renew his or her license according to the following requirements:
     (a) Completion of a minimum of thirty hours of continuing education, approved by the secretary, every three years;
     (b) Proof of participation in a Washington state coordinated quality improvement program as detailed in rule;
     (c) Proof of participation in data submission on perinatal outcomes to a national or state research organization, as detailed in rule; and
     (d) Fees determined by the secretary as provided in RCW 43.70.250 and 43.70.280.
     (2) The secretary shall write rules regarding the renewal requirements and the department's process for verification of the third-party data submission.