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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
S. 379
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Cash, Kimbrell, Campsen and Fanning
Document Path: l:\s-res\rjc\010peri.kmm.rjc.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 12, 2021
Introduced in the House on April 13, 2021
Last Amended on April 7, 2021
Currently residing in the House Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
Summary: Perinatal care services
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12/9/2020 Senate Prefiled
12/9/2020 Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs
1/12/2021 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 292)
1/12/2021 Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs
(Senate Journal-page 292)
3/31/2021 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Medical
Affairs (Senate Journal-page 8)
4/7/2021 Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 48)
4/7/2021 Senate Amended (Senate Journal-page 48)
4/7/2021 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 48)
4/7/2021 Senate Roll call Ayes-43 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 48)
4/8/2021 Senate Read third time and sent to House
(Senate Journal-page 38)
4/13/2021 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 8)
4/13/2021 House Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and
Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 8)
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ADOPTED AND AMENDED
April 7, 2021
S. 379
S. Printed 4/7/21--S.
Read the first time January 12, 2021.
TO AMEND CHAPTER 89, TITLE 44 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE BIRTHING CENTER LICENSURE ACT, BY ADDING ARTICLE 3, TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SHALL PROMULGATE REGULATIONS TO INTEGRATE BIRTHING CENTERS AND LICENSED MIDWIVES INTO PERINATAL CARE SERVICES, AND TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS.
Whereas, collaboration among health professionals can improve safety and quality, particularly when care is transferred from low-resource to high-resource settings; and
Whereas, poor coordination of care across providers and birth settings has been associated with adverse maternal-newborn outcomes; and
Whereas, South Carolina has a Midwifery Integration Score of thirty-four out of one hundred according to a 2018 study "Mapping integration of midwives across the United States: Impact on access, equity, and outcomes" by Vedam S, Stoll K, MacDorman M, Declercq E, Cramer R, Cheyney M, et al. In this study, lower scores were correlated with lower rates of physiologic birth, more obstetric interventions, and more adverse neonatal outcomes; and
Whereas, midwives and birthing centers in a community setting should be afforded access to the initiation of smooth transitions for mothers who encounter complications during childbirth; and
Whereas, the ability of midwives and birthing centers to function autonomously to their full scope of practice in community settings, in collaboration with other members of the health system, can enhance the cost-effectiveness and accessibility of maternity care, particularly in rural or impoverished communities. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. This act may be known and cited as the "Perinatal Integration Act of 2021".
SECTION 2. Chapter 89, Title 44 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 44-89-110. (A) For the purposes of this section:
(1) 'Integrate' means to facilitate the full exercise of a scope of practice, autonomy, self-regulation, collaboration, and a smooth transition between midwives, birthing centers, and hospitals that provide perinatal services. 'Integrate' does not mean to supervise midwives or birthing centers.
(2) 'Perinatal levels of care' means the regulatory implementation of perinatal services.
(B) The department shall promulgate regulations that recognize midwives within the definition of facilities and integrate midwives and birthing centers into the organization of perinatal levels of care. These regulations must include, but are not limited to:
(1) access to physician-to-provider consultation available twenty-four hours a day;
(2) transfer methods and protocols from a midwife or birthing center to a hospital within a fifty-mile radius that provides level one or higher perinatal services;
(3) access to professional continuing education relating to safe transfers and the escalation of care; and
(4) the collection of data on transfer outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the transfer of care from a midwife or birthing center to a hospital.
(C) Nothing in this section may be construed to:
(1) allow or require the department or hospitals to promulgate regulations or requirements that restrict the scope of practice, change existing licensure requirements, or impose any other regulation or requirement on midwives or birthing centers, other than methods and protocols for the transfer of a patient to a hospital; or
(2) require hospitals to give midwives hospital-admitting privileges."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on April 14, 2021 at 8:55 AM