An updated proposal to legalize midwifery was brought to the Senate today, and the bill’s sponsor says it is a compromise that satisfies many complaints from doctors’ groups.

The changes include requiring midwives to carry malpractice insurance and restricting their ability to administer medication.

Two issues, according to bill sponsor Sen. John Loudon, that could not be worked out are requiring midwives to collaborate with doctors and licensing them by the board that also licenses doctors.

“There are two sticking points that it’s clear we’re not going to get agreement on,” said Loudon, R-Chesterfield.

Loudon’s bill ^[1] would allow midwives to practice if they’re licensed by a group called the North American Registry of Midwives ^[2]. Missouri only allows nurse midwives who must partner with a doctor. All other midwives could be charged with a felony.

Sen. Chuck Graham, one of the bill’s chief critics, has argued that not requiring more rigorous medical training for midwives is a threat to public health.

Loudon is a strident supporter of midwives and last year employed a creative technique ^[3] to allow them to practice. A challenge to that law is pending ^[4] before the state Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, Graham, D-Columbia, offered an amendment to place midwives under the doctor registration board, known as the state board of registration for the healing arts. Graham said it only makes sense for the doctors’ board to license midwives.

On the contrary, argued Loudon, who said doing so would gut the bill.

“We don’t have the architects looking over the shoulders of the acupuncturists,” he said. “If the doctors don’t want that group (midwives) practicing, they just don’t issue the licenses.”

Graham’s amendment has not yet been voted on. After about an hour of debate, senators laid the bill over to discuss other issues.

(For a more thorough reading of the midwife issue, check out part 1 ^[5] and part 2 ^[6] of a series by our own Michele Munz)