SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2662

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 16, 2026

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2662.

      As amended by the committee, this bill requires certified nurse midwives and physicians to provide a pregnant patient with information on birthing options.

      Under the bill, a certified nurse midwife or physician who practices obstetrics and provides prenatal maternity care is required to provide each pregnant patient in the midwife’s or physician’s care, in writing in English and in at least the seven most common non-English languages spoken by individuals with limited-English proficiency in this State, with evidence-based information on all birthing options that are available to the patient.  The information provided is required to include, but not be limited to, information on:  planned hospital induced births; epidural births; hospital water births; home water births; hospital non-Medicaid births; home non-Medicaid births; scheduled births and scheduled C-sections; emergency C-sections; health risks associated with each birthing option; health risks to the mother and infant associated with an epidural, Pitocin, and other medications; and a list of birthing options that may be covered by a patient’s health insurance carrier.  This information is to be provided to the patient during the initial consultation, and prior to the onset of labor.

      The bill requires the Commissioner of Health, in consultation with certified nurse midwives and physicians in the State, to develop the evidence-based information to be provided.  The commissioner is required to take reasonable steps to ensure that the information is provided in a language that the pregnant person can understand.  The bill also requires the Commissioner of Health to promulgate rules and regulations that are necessary to effectuate the provisions of the bill.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1)  clarify that certified nurse midwives and physicians who practice obstetrics and prenatal care are required to provide to each pregnant patient in their care information on all available birthing options;

      (2)  require the Commissioner of Health, in consultation with certified nurse midwives and physicians in the State, to develop the information to be provided;

      (3)  require the Commissioner of Health to take reasonable steps to ensure that the information is provided in a language that the pregnant patient can understand; and

      (4)  remove the requirement that the information is to be provided on an annual basis.