l9n/ Mississippi

2026 Regular Session

House Bill 1389

Midwifery; provide for licensure and regualtion of by health department.

Did not become law. It stopped in the House of Representatives on February 12, 2026.

What it does

The synopsis the Legislature published with the bill.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE LICENSURE AND REGULATION OF PROFESSIONAL MIDWIFERY; TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE ACT; TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS TO THE APPLICABILITY OF THE ACT; TO PROVIDE THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE FOR LICENSED MIDWIVES; TO PROVIDE MANDATORY PROCEDURES FOR LICENSED MIDWIVES; TO PROHIBIT LICENSED MIDWIVES FROM CERTAIN ACTIONS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL ADMINISTER LICENSURE AND REGULATION OF LICENSED MIDWIVES UNDER RULES PROMULGATED BY THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH AND TO PROVIDE POWERS AND DUTIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION; TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH TO PROMULGATE RULES NOT LATER THAN JULY 1, 2027; TO REQUIRE A LICENSE ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO PRACTICE PROFESSIONAL MIDWIFERY; TO PROVIDE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF TEMPORARY PERMITS TO PRACTICE PENDING QUALIFICATION FOR LICENSURE; TO PROVIDE EXEMPTIONS FROM LICENSURE FOR CERTAIN PERSONS; TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION MAINTAINED BY THE DEPARTMENT; TO PROVIDE IMMUNITY FOR CERTAIN ACTIONS; TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS ACT; TO PROHIBIT TERMINOLOGY IN ANY HEALTH COVERAGE PLAN, POLICY OR CONTRACT THAT IS DISCRIMINATORY AGAINST PROFESSIONAL MIDWIFERY; TO REQUIRE HEALTH COVERAGE PLANS THAT PROVIDE MATERNITY BENEFITS TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR SERVICES RENDERED BY A LICENSED MIDWIFE; TO PROVIDE WHENEVER A HEALTH COVERAGE PLAN PROVIDES FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF ANY SERVICES THAT ARE WITHIN THE LAWFUL SCOPE OF PRACTICE OF LICENSED MIDWIVES, THE PERSON ENTITLED TO BENEFITS UNDER THE PLAN SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE SERVICES, WHETHER THE SERVICES ARE PERFORMED BY A PHYSICIAN OR A LICENSED MIDWIFE; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO DEVELOP AND INSTITUTE A SAFE PERINATAL TRANSFER CERTIFICATION FOR THE FACILITIES THAT IT REGULATES; TO AMEND SECTION 73-25-33, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE PRACTICE OF MIDWIFERY IS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Sponsors

Who carried the bill in each chamber, and who signed on. Each name leads to the member's page.

In the House of Representatives

Its course

January 16 to February 12, 2026, on one scale. In the top row each mark is a day something happened; taller marks are busier days.

Each committee stop sits inside its chamber.

Every action4 actions on 4 days

In the House of RepresentativesJan 16 to Feb 12 · stopped27 days

Public Health and Human ServicesJan 16 to Feb 318 days

Text

Each version as the Legislature printed it.

l9n doesn't hold this bill's text yet.

What happened

In l9n's words, one line for each step. Every action as the Legislature published it is below.

In the House of Representatives Jan 16 – Feb 12

  1. Jan 16Referred to the House committee on Public Health and Human Services
  2. Feb 3Reported from committee in the House: title sufficient, do pass as a committee substitute
  3. Feb 11Read the third time in the House
  4. Feb 12Died on the calendar in the House
All 4 actions, as published
  1. Jan 16Referred To Public Health and Human ServicesHouse of Representatives
  2. Feb 3Title Suff Do Pass Comm SubHouse of Representatives
  3. Feb 11Read the Third TimeHouse of Representatives
  4. Feb 12Died On CalendarHouse of Representatives