Aaron Bone, the Medical Board’s chief of legislation and public affairs, summarized legislative activity that will affect licensed midwives and the board’s regulatory program.

AB55 (the Freedom to Birth/altered alternate birth center licensure). Bone said AB55 revises licensure requirements for alternative birth centers, requires written hospital transfer policies and a signed patient acknowledgment of estimated transfer time, and updates certification standards to align with the American Association of Birth Centers. He said the bill had been approved by the Legislature and was pending action by the governor.

AB836 and workforce studies. Bone described AB836 as a state-authorized study, led by the Department of Health Care Access and Information, to assess midwifery education and recommend a sustainable workforce strategy that reflects California’s racial, ethnic, linguistic, socioeconomic and geographic diversity. He said the bill cleared the Legislature and awaited gubernatorial action.

Background checks and Rapback (AB160 / SB160). Two companion bills, AB160 and SB160, would allow the board’s licensees — including licensed midwives — to be enrolled in the FBI Rapback program, which notifies participating agencies about arrests and convictions reported to the FBI after licensure. Bone said the change would expand the board’s ability to receive post‑licensure criminal history reports that occur outside California.

SB626 — perinatal mental health screening. Bone summarized SB626 as requiring practitioners who provide perinatal care to screen patients for perinatal mental health conditions in line with applicable clinical guidelines; the bill references ACOG guidance but is written so practitioners follow guidelines consistent with their scopes of practice. Members asked whether the bill would force midwives to follow ACOG guidance; Bone said the bill does not compel midwives to adopt guidance that conflicts with their scope and noted the board supported the goal of increasing appropriate screening.

SB669 — standby perinatal services pilot. Bone said SB669 would fund a 10‑year pilot to test a new category of perinatal services ("Standby Perinatal Services") in up to five critical‑access rural hospitals, prioritizing Humboldt and Plumas counties and requiring stakeholder consultation, including licensed midwives.

AB408 — board wellness program. Bone also described AB408, a Medical Board–sponsored bill to authorize a health and wellness program for licensees that would provide monitoring and treatment supports for substance‑use or other health conditions that could impair safe practice.

SB470 — remote meeting authority. Bone said SB470 would extend the authority for advisory bodies to meet remotely through January 2030; current authority is scheduled to expire at the end of the year.

Questions and public comment. Members asked for clarification on the Rapback bills and on how SB626 would work in low‑resource areas with limited referral options; Bone and public commenters noted the bill’s sponsors included maternal‑mental‑health groups and acknowledged that implementation would raise questions where referral capacity is limited. Commenters from the California Association of Licensed Midwives (CALM) and other organizations expressed support for AB55 and urged attention to practical follow‑through for screening and referral in underserved areas.

Why this matters. The bills will shape scope, certification standards for birth centers, background‑check procedures, statutory screening duties and pilot investments in rural safety nets. Several items require additional rulemaking or guidance before they alter clinical practice; others (AB55, AB836) were described as already approved by the Legislature and awaiting the governor’s final action.

Ending note. Staff encouraged midwives and stakeholders to monitor implementation details and to provide input during rulemaking or stakeholder feedback opportunities where the bills call for it.