HB5370 - Home Birth Safety Act Summary

• Creates the Illinois Midwifery Board and establishes state licensure requirements for midwives practicing in out-of-hospital settings, effective January 1, 2013.

• Requires licensed midwives to hold a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) credential from the North American Registry of Midwives, complete approved education programs, and maintain continuing education of 25 hours plus 5 hours of peer review per 3-year renewal cycle.

• Mandates written collaborative agreements between licensed midwives and physicians or certified nurse-midwives; prohibits midwives from prescribing medications, inducing labor pharmacologically, administering pain management drugs, or performing major surgical procedures.

• Establishes disciplinary procedures, grounds for license suspension or revocation, and civil penalties up to $5,000 for unlicensed practice; creates criminal penalties of Class A misdemeanor for first offense and Class 4 felony for subsequent convictions.

• Amends the Medical Practice Act, Nurse Practice Act, and Illinois Public Aid Code to recognize licensed midwives as regulated practitioners; sets automatic repeal date of January 1, 2023 under the Regulatory Sunset Act.