H.79 creates a new voluntary state certification program for community-based perinatal doulas in Vermont. The bill defines community-based doulas as nonclinical providers who support under-resourced and marginalized populations, often at low or no cost, and community-based perinatal doulas as those serving people during pregnancy, childbirth, and up to one year postpartum. It establishes a new chapter in Title 26 governing certification, renewal, discipline, and administration of the credential through the Office of Professional Regulation (OPR).
Under the bill, a person may continue providing doula services without certification, but may not use a state-certified title unless certified. The OPR Director would handle applications, renewals, complaints, discipline, and a public registry, with advice from two appointed certified doula advisors. Applicants must be at least 18, demonstrate competency through experience, mentorship, training, education, or a combination, and pass any criminal history or registry checks required by rule. Certifications would renew every two years and be subject to continuing education or competency requirements set by rule. The bill also sets a lower fee schedule for this profession than the default OPR fees and directs the Director to begin rulemaking before the July 1, 2026 effective date.
The bill’s main legal effect is to add community-based perinatal doulas to the list of professions regulated by OPR and to amend Title 3 to authorize background checks, fee collection, and regulatory oversight for this new credential. It would create enforceable standards for use of the certified title and allow discipline for unprofessional conduct, while preserving the ability of uncertified individuals to provide doula services. It also gives the Secretary of State authority to appoint advisor doulas and integrates the profession into existing OPR administrative and disciplinary structures.
Because there were no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, the overall sentiment cannot be measured from formal debate or roll calls. Based on the bill text, the measure appears supportive of expanding recognition and structure for a community-based maternal health workforce, especially for services aimed at underserved populations. The tone of the proposal is regulatory rather than restrictive, emphasizing voluntary certification and professional standards rather than mandatory licensure.
The main point of potential contention is the balance between professional recognition and access. Supporters are likely to view certification as a way to validate training, improve quality, and strengthen reimbursement or referral pathways, while critics may worry about added fees, administrative burdens, or barriers for grassroots doulas serving low-income communities. Another possible issue is the inclusion of criminal background checks and continuing education requirements, which could be seen as necessary consumer protections by some and as unnecessary hurdles by others.
H.79 would amend Vermont’s professional regulation statutes by adding a new Title 26 chapter for community-based perinatal doulas and by updating Title 3 to place this profession under the Office of Professional Regulation’s authority. It would authorize certification, renewal, discipline, advisor appointments, background checks, and a dedicated fee schedule, while leaving uncertified doula practice legal so long as the state-certified title is not used improperly. The bill would affect doulas, the Office of Professional Regulation, the Secretary of State, and applicants seeking state certification.
No committee testimony or vote history was provided, so there is no recorded legislative sentiment to summarize from debate or roll calls. From the bill’s structure and findings, the proposal appears broadly favorable toward formalizing and supporting community-based doula work, with an emphasis on voluntary certification, professional standards, and access for underserved populations. The overall tone is constructive and administrative rather than controversial.
The likely areas of contention are whether state certification is necessary for a field that the bill keeps voluntary, whether the fee and renewal requirements could burden community-based doulas, and whether background checks and rule-based competency standards might limit access for practitioners from the communities they serve. Supporters would likely emphasize consumer protection, professional recognition, and consistency, while opponents may focus on regulatory expansion, administrative costs, and the risk of creating barriers for low-cost or culturally rooted doula services.