HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 057 Draft 01 2022-2024 3
HAWAIICOUNTY OF r=• YrSTATE OF HAWAII
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RESOLUTION NO. 57 23
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A RESOLUTION URGING THE AWAI`I STATE LEGISLATURE TO AMEND
CHAPTER 457J, AAI`I REVISED STATUTES, RELATING TO MIDWIVES, T
PERMANENTLY EXEMPT BIRTH ATTENDANTS FROM STATE LICENSURE
REQUIREMENTS AND TO EXPAND THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR
MIDWIFERY LICENSURE.
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WHEREAS, midwifery is one of the oldest women's rights issues in history, and a
woman's right to choose where to give birth and who they want as their preferred birth attendant
are integral to providing safety, care,bodily autonomy, and comfort during birth; and
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WHEREAS, Act 32 (Senate Bill No. 1033, SD2, HD2), relating to the licensure of
midwives, was signed into law on April 30, 2019; and
WHEREAS, Section 457J-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, established by Act 32, provides
an exemption that allows birth attendants to practice midwifery without State licensure, but this
exemption will expire on July 1, 2023; and
WHEREAS, Act 32 specifically states that by the end of the three-year period, the
Hawaii State Legislature intends to enact statutes that will incorporate all birth practitioners and
allow them to practice to the fullest extent under the law; and
WHEREAS, if the Hawaii State Legislature fails to take action before this exemption
expires, traditional and indigenous midwifery practices will be at risk of criminality or, worse,
cultural erasure, and the traditional birthing practices of all cultures deserve protection; and
WHEREAS, additionally, Act 32 inadvertently omitted a category of Certified
Professional Midwives, or CPMs, who have been trained and certified using the Portfolio
Evaluation Process (PEP), which is one of two pathways to obtain a professional midwife
certification through the nationally recognized North American Registry of Midwives; and
WHEREAS,the second pathway to become a CPM is to complete a course study at a
Midwifery Education Accreditation Council school, but there are currently no accredited schools
in Hawaii, therefore, the PEP pathway is the more accessible way for midwifery students in the
State to obtain certification as a CPM; and
WHEREAS, expanding the eligibility criteria in Section 457J-8, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, to allow CPMs certified through the PEP pathway to be licensed, will greatly benefit
families throughout Hawaii County, especially in rural areas like Kohala, Puna, Ka`u, and South
Kona, where families have limited access to birth facilities and have depended on traditionally-
trained birth attendants for decades; and
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WHEREAS, Senate Bill No. 1047 and House Bill No. 955 are currently being heard by
the Hawai`i State Legislature, and both bills would permanently allow birth attendants to practice
midwifery without State licensure and would expand the eligibility criteria to allow more
midwives to be licensed; now,therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that the
Hawai`i. State Legislature is urged to amend Chapter 457J, Hawaii Revised Statutes,to
permanently exempt birth attendants from State licensure requirements and to expand the
licensure eligibility criteria to include all Certified Professional Midwives, including those who
have been certified via the Portfolio Evaluation Process pathway.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this
resolution to the Honorable Josh Green, M.D., Governor, State of Hawai`i; all members of the
Hawaii State Legislature; the Honorable Mitchell D. Roth, Mayor, County of Hawai`i; Khara
Jabola-Carolus, Executive Director, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; and
Farrah-Marie Gomes, Chair, Hawaii County Committee on the Status of Women.
Dated at Hilo , Hawai`i,this 8th day of March , 20 23.
INTRODUCED BY:
COUNC L MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAII
611/1/
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAII
COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE
County of Hawai`i AYES NOES ABS EX
Hilo, Hawaii EVANS X
GALIMBA X
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by INABA X
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the KAGIWADA X
County of Hawai`i on March 8, 2023
KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER X
KIERKIEWICZ X
ATTEST: KIMBALL X
LEE LOY X
VILLEGAS X
9 0 0 0
/ Reference:
RESOLUTION
C-104/GOEAC-20
TY CLERK C RPERSON&PRES DING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. 57 23
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