The following article was taken from the Wisconsin Guild of Midwives Website (www.wisconsinguildofmidwives.org)

January 31, 2006: In an unprecedented turn of events. The Wisconsin Guild of Midwives, aided by their countless supporters throughout the state, passed the midwife licensing bill through both houses of the Wisconsin State Legislature! It was an incredible day, intense and stressful, as the bill was not without opposition. There were MANY points throughout the day when one or both bills were almost killed, and at every turn, families from across the state came to our rescue, making last minutes calls, sending emails, and, for those who were present at the Capitol, visiting the offices of their legislators to emphasize their passionate support of the midwives who serve them. 120 beautiful Amish graced us with their presence, taking up one entire side of the gallery! Their support spoke volumes.

Now the last step is for the governor to sign the bill. He is being pressured to veto it by opponents, mainly from the medical organizations of Wisconsin. Their opposition is based on a lack of understanding of the nature of the CPM credential and the education process that leads to it. Some opponents mistakenly believe that the standards under which midwives will practice will be weak and unprofessional. We are attempting to educate them and the governor about the true nature of this credential and the license that Wisconsin will be granting.

I think we can learn a lot from what is happening in Wisconsin. It takes a lot of people working together to get midwifery legislation passed. It will take everyone’s letters, emails, phone calls & presence during the legislative session to make it happen. We can all do something right now. As Mary stated in her update, we all need to write a letter to the Governor letting him know that there are lots of us who support midwife-attended home birth. If at all possible, attend the Legislative Workshop. Educate yourself and then begin educating your legislators. –Debbie Pease, Editor

You can contact Governor Rounds at:
Office of the Governor
500 East Capital Ave
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: 605-773-3212
Email: governor@state.sd.us