LINCOLN — A statewide coalition of Nebraska health care organizations is urging lawmakers to oppose the licensure of Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) currently proposed in LB676.
The coalition warns that licensing CPMs—who are not required to have a degree, hospital training, or formal medical education—would endanger mothers and newborns across the state.
CPMs are not currently licensed or regulated in Nebraska. LB676 would create a new licensure category granting CPMs broad independent authority to manage pregnancy, postpartum, and newborn care, including home births and the use of certain medications.
The coalition opposing licensure of CPMs includes physicians, nurse midwives, nurses, hospitals, and advanced practice providers. Organizations with expertise in maternity and newborn care—such as the Nebraska Medical Association, Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians, Nebraska Certified Nurse-Midwives, Nebraska Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Nebraska Nurse Practitioners, and the Nebraska Nurses Association—have joined together to urge lawmakers to oppose licensure of CPMs to protect patient safety.
“Granting licensure to CPMs creates a false sense of safety,” says Dr. David Ingvoldstad, President of the Nebraska Medical Association.
“These individuals lack formal medical education, and licensing them signals to the public that they meet the same standards as physicians, nurse midwives, and other trained professionals—which they do not.”
Senator John Fredrickson has offered AM914 as a safer path forward. The amendment was developed in collaboration with physicians and
Certified Nurse Midwives and includes important safeguards:
• Removes CPM licensure from LB676
• Moves CNMs toward appropriate independent practice
• Provides regulation of out-of-hospital births
• Requires robust informed consent and emergency transfer planning
“Nebraskans deserve to trust that a licensed provider has the education and clinical training to safely care for mothers and babies,” says Ingvoldstad. “AM914 is a reasonable and responsible amendment that protects families and preserves high standards of maternity care in our state.”
The full list of coalition signers includes:
• Nebraska Medical Association
• Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians
• Nebraska Certified Nurse-Midwives
• Nebraska Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
• Nebraska Nurse Practitioners
• Nebraska Nurses Association
• Boys Town National Research Hospital
• Bryan Health
• Community Hospital, McCook
• Jennie M. Melham Memorial Medical Center, Broken Bow
• Nebraska Academy of PAs
• Nebraska Association of Nurse Anesthetists
• Nebraska Medicine
• Nebraska Methodist Health Systems
• Brady Beecham, MD, CMO, Gothenburg Health
• Mark Davis, MD, CMO, Faith Regional Health Services
To view the coalition letter, educational resources, and learn how to contact your senator, visit: www.nebmed.org/fix676
