AB-836 • 2026

Midwifery Workforce Training Act.

Budget Education Healthcare

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Stefani
Last action: 2025-10-11
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 597, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on hiring an outside consultant, only that the study must be conducted by such a person.

Midwifery Workforce Training Act

This act requires the Department of Health Care Access and Information to fund a study on midwifery education in California, identify viable programs for both rural and urban areas, and report findings to the Legislature.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Department of Health Care Access and Information to conduct a statewide study on midwifery education if funded by the Legislature.
Identifies viable education programs that can serve both rural and urban geographic areas through the study.
Requires the department to submit findings from the study to the Legislature.
Posts the report on the department’s website and notifies relevant stakeholders.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Health Care Access and Information
Outside consultants familiar with California's health care and midwifery landscapes
Midwifery education programs in California

Terms To Know

Reproductive health care professionals: Medical doctors and licensed midwives who provide reproductive health services.

Limits and Unknowns

The act only takes effect if the Legislature provides funding.
It does not specify when the study must be completed or reported.

Bill History

2025-10-11 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 597, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-11 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-16 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 72. Noes 1. Page 3112.).
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2602.).
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
Ordered to third reading.
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
From special consent calendar.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Ordered to special consent calendar.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-17 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (July 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-06-23 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 2. Page 1856.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
2025-04-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-25 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-10 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 836, Stefani.
Midwifery Workforce Training Act.
Existing law requires the Department of Health Care Access and Information, formerly known as the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, to establish a program to contract with programs that train certified nurse-midwives and programs that train licensed midwives in accordance with the global standards for midwifery education and the international definition of “midwife” as established by the International Confederation of Midwives in order to increase the number of students receiving quality education and training as a certified nurse-midwife or as a licensed midwife. Existing law requires these provisions to be implemented only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes in the annual Budget Act or another act.
This bill would require the Department of Health Care Access and Information, upon appropriation from the
Legislature for this purpose, to administer funding for a statewide study on midwifery education. The bill would require the study to be conducted by an outside consultant familiar with the health care and midwifery landscapes and workforce in California that would, among other things, identify viable education programs that can serve both rural and urban geographic areas. The bill would require the department to submit a report from the study’s findings to the Legislature, to post the report on the department’s internet website, and to notify all persons in the department’s reproductive health and maternity care electronic mailing list, as specified. The bill would define “reproductive health care professionals” as, among others, medical doctors and licensed midwives.

Current Bill Text

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