A bill wending its way through the Legislature seeks to improve birth outcomes, both for mothers and newborns, by establishing tighter, more succinct and permanent midwifery regulations and standards. This is good news for Hawaii, whose population continues to utilize midwifery services and, in many cases, adjacent Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander cultural birthing practices. Unfortunately, the latest version of House Bill 1194 is weighed down by an overly broad set of provider stipulations and worrisome vague language. In short, it is self-defeating. ...read more read less