Louisiana boasts only eight midwives.
Yet, senator after senator went to the microphone on the state Senate floor Thursday morning on legislation involving them.
At issue was Senate Bill 320 by state Sen. Danny Martiny, R-Metairie. The measure involves health care providers.
Martiny said state Rep. Nancy Landry, R-Lafayette, hijacked the legislation in the Louisiana House by adding in beefed up licensing standards for midwives. He wanted the Senate to reject her amendment and let a conference committee decide how the bill should read.
State Sen. Fred Mills Jr., R-St. Martinville, said the midwife amendment simply would elevate standards by requiring that they be certified by the North American Registry of Midwives.
“This is becoming a turf war that does not need to be fought,” he said.
State Sen. Sharon Broome, D-Baton Rouge, asked the Senate to agree to the House amendment. She said Landry did no damage to the bill.
She said Landry’s amendment would fall out if the legislation went to a conference committee.
“Do you trust me?” Martiny asked.
“Uh, oh,” Broome said, avoiding answering the question.
In the end, the Senate rejected the House amendment, booting the bill to a conference committee.
