Bill > HB1127

This bill revises regulations concerning birth centers and the practice of certified professional midwives at these facilities. Specifically, it clarifies that birth centers must obtain a license from the Department of Health, with an application fee of $500, and that this license is renewable annually. The bill also updates the definition of "practitioner" to include physicians, certified nurse midwives, and certified professional midwives, and mandates that a practitioner or registered nurse must be present when a client is in active labor. Furthermore, it requires that licensed practical nurses and other nursing personnel be supervised by a licensed practitioner or registered nurse. The bill introduces a new requirement for birth centers to have a written plan for each client addressing their medical, physical, mental, and emotional needs, based on an examination and medical history, and approved by the attending practitioner. Finally, it removes the previous requirement that birth centers be located within a thirty-minute drive of a hospital offering routine birth services.

Health and Social Services

https://sdlegislature.gov/#/Session/Bill/26505