The purpose of this consensus document is to foster communication and collaboration for future efforts in the development of U.S. midwifery legislation and regulation. The goal is to promote regulatory mechanisms that protect the public by ensuring that competent midwives provide high quality midwifery care. Midwifery is a profession that is autonomous, separate, and distinct from nursing and medicine. Only midwives can exercise the full scope of midwifery practice and provide all the competencies within this scope. This document outlines the principles of model midwifery legislation to support and regulate practice. These principles address state authority to regulate, register, and

US MERA Professional Regulation Committee – June 2015 US Midwifery Education, Regulation, and Association (US MERA) organizations support legislative language stating that by 2020, all new applicants for midwifery licensure must have successfully completed an educational program or pathway accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) or obtained the Midwifery Bridge Certificate. All applicants for licensure must pass a national midwifery certification examination offered as part of a National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accredited credentialing program, as well as hold a CPM, Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) and/or Certified Midwife (CM) credential. In 2014, US