New Jersey Senate Bill S4025

New Jersey 2026-2027 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/19/26
• Refer: 3/19/26

Caption

Provides for independent prescriptive authority for midwives.

Summary

S4025 would expand the prescribing authority of midwives in New Jersey. Under current law, only certified nurse midwives may be authorized to prescribe drugs, and they must do so under standing orders and practice protocols developed with a collaborative physician. The bill revises that framework so that any “midwife,” defined to include both certified nurse midwives and certified midwives registered with the State Board of Medical Examiners, may prescribe drugs if they meet the bill’s training requirements. The bill also removes the requirement that prescribing be tied to a collaborative physician agreement and practice protocols. Instead, a midwife seeking prescriptive authority would need to complete 30 contact hours in pharmacology, including one credit hour on prescription opioid-related topics, and apply to the board with evidence of meeting those requirements. The State Board of Medical Examiners would retain authority to adopt rules and could prohibit a midwife from prescribing if the midwife violates the act, related regulations, or any applicable state or federal drug-prescribing law.

Impact

The bill would amend R.S.45:10-6 and multiple sections of P.L.1991, c.97 to broaden who may prescribe drugs and under what conditions. It would eliminate the current limitation that prescriptive authority is available only to certified nurse midwives operating under collaborative physician protocols, and it would extend that authority to certified midwives as well. The State Board of Medical Examiners would continue to regulate the area through rulemaking and enforcement, but the bill would shift the prescribing model toward independent authority for midwives who meet the educational and application requirements.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the measure appears to be presented as a professional scope-of-practice expansion rather than a controversial policy reversal. The sponsor’s framing suggests support for modernizing midwifery practice and reducing unnecessary physician oversight for qualified midwives. Because there is no transcript or voting history provided, there is no documented public debate in the supplied materials, but the bill’s structure indicates an intent to streamline access to prescribing authority while preserving training and regulatory safeguards.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely the removal of the collaborative physician requirement. Supporters would view that as an unnecessary barrier to practice and a limitation on midwives’ ability to provide timely care, while opponents may be concerned about patient safety, oversight, and whether independent prescribing should be limited to certified nurse midwives rather than all registered midwives. Another likely issue is the expansion from CNMs to certified midwives, which changes the scope of who may prescribe and could raise questions about training, credentialing, and board oversight. The bill preserves pharmacology training and disciplinary authority, which may be intended to address those concerns.