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Senate concurs with House amendments for freestanding birthing-center licensure (S.18)
Summary
The Senate concurred in the House proposal of amendment to S.18, a bill establishing licensure rules for freestanding birth centers, clarifying practitioner definitions, allowable services, transfer protocols and a certificate-of-need exemption.
The Vermont Senate on April 24 concurred in the House proposal of amendment to S.18, a bill that establishes licensure and operating rules for freestanding birthing centers.
Senator Gulick, reporting for the Committee on Health and Welfare, summarized changes the House made in its amendment. The amendment clarifies that practitioners working in birth centers are advanced practice registered nurses with specialized training in childbirth, newborn care and reproductive health; it specifies that birth centers may be independently owned by a licensed maternity-care provider or any person who complies with chapter requirements; and it clarifies that birth centers shall not offer epidural anesthesia or perform cesarean delivery.
The report also described enhanced rulemaking for hospital transfers: written practice guidelines, transfer procedures, collaboration with hospitals, laboratory and diagnostic services, and childbirth and parenting education supports. The House amendment removed references that conflated “home birth” and birth-center care and updated midwifery-coverage language accordingly. The committee also clarified a certificate-of-need (CON) exemption for centers licensed under chapter 53 of the title consistent with the Green Mountain Care Board practice.
The health and welfare committee recommended concurrence; the Senate voted by voice to concur with the House’s proposal of amendment.
