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HB 129

Midwives; administration of certain newborn screening tests authorized

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Marilyn Lands

Alabama bill authorizes licensed midwives to administer newborn screening tests, expanding healthcare access but raising quality oversight and liability questions.

Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Health
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Bill Summary · HB 129

Legislative bill overview

HB 129 authorizes licensed midwives in Alabama to administer certain newborn screening tests that are currently restricted to physicians and other regulated healthcare providers. The bill expands the scope of practice for midwives within defined parameters related to newborn health screening.

Why is this important

Newborn screening tests detect serious metabolic, genetic, and functional disorders early enough for treatment to prevent death or disability. Expanding who can administer these tests could improve access in rural or underserved areas where midwife-attended births are common, but it also raises questions about consistency in testing protocols and quality assurance across different provider types.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope creep concerns: Establishing which specific tests midwives can administer and ensuring they have adequate training and certification for each test type
  • Quality and liability standards: Whether midwives will be held to identical standards as physicians for test administration, documentation, and follow-up on abnormal results
  • Regulatory oversight: How the state will monitor compliance and handle adverse outcomes or missed diagnoses attributable to midwife-administered screening

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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