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COUNTY OF HAWAVI `• STATE OF HAWAII
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RESOLUTION NO. 26 25
A RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAI`I STATE LEGISLATURE TO AMEND
CHAPTER 457J, HAWAI`I REVISED STATUTES, RELATING TO MIDWIVES, TO
PERMANENTLY EXEMPT BIRTH ATTENDANTS FROM STATE LICENSURE
REQUIREMENTS AND TO EXPAND THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR
MIDWIFERY LICENSURE.
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
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, Hawai`i Revised Statutes, established by Act 32, provides
an exemption that allows birth attendants to practice midwifery without State licensure, however
this exemption expired 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, Hawai`i 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
WHEREAS, a proposed State bill attached as Exhibit"A" was approved as part of the
Hawai`i County Council Legislative Proposals and Priorities to be considered for inclusion in the
2025 Hawai`i State Association of Counties Legislative Package in Resolution 630-24, Draft 2;
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, Hawai`i 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
Hawai`i State Legislature; the Honorable C. Kimo Alameda, Mayor, County of Hawai`i; the
Hawai`i State Commission on the Status of Women; and the Hawai`i County Committee on the
Status of Women.
Dated at Hilo , Hawai`i, this 18th day of December , 20 24.
INTRODUCED BY:
C• qL ER, COUNTY OF HAWAI`I
COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE
County of Hawai`i AYES NOES ABS EX
Hilo, Hawai`i GALIMBA X
HUSTACE 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 Hawaii on December 18, 2024
KANEALI`I-KLEINFELDER X
KIERKIEWICZ X
ATTEST: KIMBALL X
ONISHI X
VILLEGAS X
8 0 1 0
Reference: C-16/Waived GOEAC
Y CLERK CHAIRPERSON&PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. 26 25
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