Bill > A4328

Introduced Session

This bill requires certified nurse midwives and physicians to provide a pregnant patient with information on birthing options. Under the bill, a certified nurse midwife or physician who practices obstetrics and provides prenatal maternity care is required to provide to each pregnant patient in the midwife's or physician's care, in writing in English and in at least the seven most common non-English languages spoken by individuals with limited-English proficiency in this State, with evidence-based information on all birthing options that are available to the patient. The information provided is required to include, but not be limited to, information on: planned hospital induced births, epidural births, hospital water births, home water births, hospital non-Medicaid births, home non-Medicaid births, scheduled births and scheduled C-sections, emergency C-sections, health risks associated with each birthing option, health risks to the mother and infant associated with an epidural, Pitocin, and other medications, and a list of birthing options that may be covered by a patient's health insurance carrier. This information is to be provided to the patient during the initial consultation, and prior to the onset of labor. The bill requires the Commissioner of Health, in consultation with certified nurse midwives and physicians in the State, to develop the evidence-based information to be provided. The commissioner is required to take reasonable steps to ensure that the information is provided in a language that the pregnant person can understand. The bill also requires the Commissioner of Health to promulgate rules and regulations that are necessary to effectuate the provisions of the bill.

AI Summary

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Shanique Speight (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee (on 02/19/2026)

Official Document