2026 Legislative and Policy Efforts
NACPM 2026 State Policy Advocacy
Birthing-Friendly Hospital Designation Scoring Approach Technical Expert Panel
Completed 2 years of participation. The proposed rule and instructions for submitting public comments are available on the Federal Register at the following link: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/04/14/2026-07203/medicare-program-hospital-inpatient-prospective-payment-systems-for-acute-care-hospitals-ipps-and. The FY 2027 IPPS Final Rule will be published on August 1, 2026.
Pennsylvania SB507: CM Licensure
Arizona HB2251: Medication Access
Kentucky: Birth Center Regulations Revision
Nebraska Birth Center & CPM Licensure
Letter of support in partnership with Birth Center Equity and Elephant Circle
Ohio: CPM Licensure
Massachusetts S784/H1117: Sustainability
Testimony at House committee hearing, face to face meetings with House and Senate committee leadership
Massachusetts 274 CMR 3.00: CPM Licensure Regulations
West Virginia HB993: CPM Licensure
North Carolina CPM Licensure Draft
Analysis and strategic support
Mississippi HB1389: CPM Licensure
Analysis and community assessment
New Jersey
Analysis and strategic support
Nevada CPM Licensure Proposal
Strategic direction and community assessment
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Advocacy resources
NACPM 2025 State Policy Report
Scope of the Certified Professional Midwife Credential
Search this website to find other midwifery legislation!
Advocacy Handouts
Scope of Practice v Scope of Credential
Patients’ Rights: Informed Consent & Refusal
State Recognition and Pathways
TRICARE Printables / Joint Strike Postcards (State specific)
State Legislation
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut - unregulated, not legally defined, but not prohibited 1
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia - Proposed Legislation 2025 - unregulated, statute, but licensure unavailable
Hawaii - amendment passed in 2025! Regulatory revision in 2026
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas - “CPMs have legal status in Kansas but, as yet, there is (a) no designated regulatory agency, (b) no state law governing their relationship with physicians, nor (c) any requirement for their continuing education.”2 (CPMs and birth center law)
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi - Proposed Legislation 2025 - unregulated, judicial interpretation varies 1
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska - Proposed Legislation 2025 - unregulated, not legally defined, but not prohibited 1
Nevada -unregulated, judicial interpretation varies 1
New Hampshire- currently working on regulations
New Jersey plan to propose amendment in 2026
New Mexico
New York - legal with license, no current pathway to license
North Carolina - Proposed Legislation 2025 - unregulated, statute, judicial interpretation, or stricture of practice 1
North Dakota - unregulated, judicial interpretation varies
Ohio - Proposed Legislation 2024 - illegal to practice as a CPM 1
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania - unregulated, judicial interpretation varies 1
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia -Proposed Legislation 2024 - unregulated, not legally defined, but not prohibited 1
Wisconsin
Wyoming