The Nurse Midwifery Advisory Committee directed its education subcommittee to prepare draft regulatory language to update California Code of Regulations Title 16 sections 1460 and 1462, shifting California toward a national‑standards pathway for initial nurse‑midwife licensure.

Kim Do, presenting as chair of the education subcommittee, recommended that the committee consider a regulatory requirement that applicants demonstrate completion of a nationally accredited midwifery program (Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education, ACME) and national certification from the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB). Do said most California midwives already hold AMCB certification and that many California programs are ACME‑accredited. Do also proposed a temporary licensure pathway similar to that used for registered nurses so candidates who have completed an accredited program could practice while awaiting national exam results.

The committee discussed tradeoffs. Do noted CCR sections 1460 and 1462 were last amended in 1985 and no longer align cleanly with current national accreditation and certification systems. Committee members and public commenters argued the change could reduce duplicate administrative review and align California with other states that already require national certification; public commenter Anya Rapoport, speaking for the California Nurse Midwifery Association, urged adoption and recommended a six‑month temporary license for graduates awaiting certification.

Board legal counsel and staff cautioned about process steps. Reza Pejuez said subcommittee drafting is appropriate but that the full board would need to review and approve any regulatory proposal before formal rulemaking. BRN staff member Macaulay provided applicant data showing that, in recent years, most initial licensure applications already used national certification rather than the California board approval pathway.

The committee voted to proceed: the education subcommittee will draft proposed regulatory text requiring program accreditation and applicant national certification and will present draft language at a future NMAC meeting. The motion was made by Kim Do and seconded by Lilit; committee members voted in favor by roll call.

Next steps described by staff: the education subcommittee will prepare draft text for review; BRN staff will notify the full BRN of the advisory committeead’s direction at the next Nurse Practice Committee meeting; any subsequent regulation would follow the departmentads formal rulemaking timeline.