New Jersey midwives could get separate licensing system

New Jersey would create a new licensing system for midwives under the Midwifery Licensing Act. The proposal would move the profession out of the current framework overseen by the State Board of Medical Examiners and into a new State Board of Midwifery.

That shift is the point of the bill. Rather than leaving midwifery inside an older medical-board structure, the measure would give the profession its own regulatory home in Trenton.

Why lawmakers say the old setup no longer fits

The Legislature says the state’s midwifery rules date back to the late 19th century, while the practice itself has expanded. In its findings, it argues that a modern regulatory framework is in the public interest.

The bill also links the change to New Jersey’s unusually high maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. It says midwives play a vital role in improving maternal and infant health, and that access to midwifery services can significantly reduce those risks, especially for vulnerable communities.

What the new board is meant to change

The proposal would not just rename an office. It would establish an independent board for a profession that lawmakers say deserves rules built around its own practice, not borrowed from another medical discipline.

For pregnant patients, newborns and families in communities facing higher health risks, the bill frames midwifery as part of the care system, not a side service. That is why the issue matters well beyond the licensing board itself.