HB520 Hearing in Health Committee 3/10/25
On Monday, March 10, 2025 we were privileged to have our first hearing on HB520. A hearing is significant because it shows that legislators are paying attention and feel our bill is valid enough to warrant more information.
Please take a moment to thank Chairman Lee Hawkins for hearing our bill and ask him to continue the conversation! In your email you can provide a brief reason why midwifery licensure is important to you, and also ask him to continue to provide hearings on HB520.
You could include that midwives need licensure because:
Every state around Georgia licenses midwives and Georgia needs to catch up!
Midwives are receiving Cease and Desist orders from the GA Board of Nursing, even though we are not nurses. We need to license midwives, not force them to stop practicing because of outdated laws!
We need licensure to have access to standard emergency medications that childbirth can sometimes require.
Our students will not have access to federally funded midwifery education until licensure is instated in the state of Georgia
Send the email now. Go ahead. We’ll wait.
We filled the room to standing room only with nearly 100% supporters! In fact, there was so much testimony to the need for midwifery licensure that no real opponent was able to speak.
More than ever it is certain: We will have a victory for midwives in Georgia!
Some key takeaways from the hearing:
The Department of Public Health testified that they do not give objection to midwifery licensure under Chapter 43, as our bill asks. They did list some reservations about our bill, but this is what the committee process is for: to bring stakeholders to the table and work out agreements. Some of the things they were concerned about will likely be handled in Rules and Regulations after licensure is passed.
Chairman Hawkins said that our bill was “patient-centered”. This was the highest compliment, essentially calling out the way that midwives center the mothers, babies, and families that we care for above all else. He promised more hearings. This will be necessary until the bill is ready to be voted on- which will likely happen next year when we pick up where we left off.
What’s next? Georgia has a two year session (40 days each year), and this first year is winding down. We will continue to meet with committee members and stakeholders to fine tune our bill and expect to be ready for a vote on the House floor at the start of next year! More hearings will be part of this process.
We need you to donate so that we can continue this work.
It is expensive to lobby down at the Capitol, and this is an unfortunate requirement if you want to get a bill through. We need your contribution, and any amount will count.
Can you commit to a monthly donation to protect midwifery in Georgia? Standing with midwives is standing with women- including our daughters. Please help us today.
Join us at the Birth Expo by Peach State Birth Coalition!
Join us on March 22, 2025, for a powerful event dedicated to birth education, advocacy, and community! Whether you're expecting, a birth worker, or passionate about birth freedom in Georgia, this is an event you don’t want to miss! It will be an important part of Georgia’s families having a voice in birth choices!
✨ What to Expect:
✅ Expert panel discussions with birth professionals & advocates
✅ A vendor marketplace with amazing pregnancy, birth & postpartum resources
✅ Opportunities to get involved in advocating for midwife licensure in Georgia
✅ A chance to connect with like-minded parents & birth workers
Plus, giveaways and raffles and new friends!
📅 Date: March 22, 2025
📍 Location: Life University, CCE Building- 1377 Barclay Cir, Marietta, Ga 30060⏰ Time: 11:00AM-2:00PM (Panel starts at 1:00PM)
Let’s come together to celebrate birth choices, education, and support for families! Tell a friend who should be there with you!
