§ 23-13-9. Licensing and regulation of midwives - Penalty for violations. The state director of health is authorized and directed to make rules for the regulation of the practice of midwifery and for the licensing of midwives, including regulations that require the payment of an initial application fee equal to that fee that is imposed upon applicants for licensure as nurse practitioners and a renewal fee also equivalent to that for nurse practitioners. The rules regarding the regulation of the practice of midwifery shall authorize a licensed, certified nurse-midwife (CNM) or a licensed, certified midwife (CM) to prescribe medications that might be reasonably required by his or her patients; provided however, that a licensed, certified nurse-midwife (CNM) or a licensed, certified midwife (CM) shall prescribe any of those medications as authorized by the director of health. The provisions of this section relating to prescription authority by certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives shall be overseen by the department of health as defined in the department's rules and regulations for licensing of midwives (R23-13MID). No person not a licensed midwife or a physician, registered under the provisions of chapter 37 of title 5, shall practice midwifery, or shall make a practice of attending women in childbirth for hire, or use the name or title of midwife. Any person who violates the provisions of this section, or who violates any of the rules of the department of health made in pursuance of this section, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars ($100), or imprisoned not more than six (6) months, or both, and the director of health may revoke the license issued to any person when, in the opinion of the director of health, that person is guilty of unprofessional conduct.

History of Section. (G.L. 1909, ch. 115, § 16; P.L. 1918, ch. 1634, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 153, § 16; G.L. 1938, ch. 255, § 13; impl. am. P.L. 1939, ch. 660, § 180; G.L. 1956, § 23-13-9; P.L. 1988, ch. 554, § 1; P.L. 1997, ch. 30, art. 28, § 7; P.L. 1999, ch. 89, § 1; P.L. 2015, ch. 159, § 1; P.L. 2015, ch. 181, § 1.)