Ohio 136th General Assembly Status: Introduced 1 R cosponsors

SB 438 — Regulate the practice of midwifery, freestanding birthing centers

Last action — Referred to committee

  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced May 13, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Not enough signal yet

Not enough signal yet to read this bill's trajectory — we surface a likelihood only once there's real movement (stage, sponsorship, committee, or votes) to point to.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

Regulates midwifery practices and establishes requirements for birthing centers in Ohio.

This bill amends existing laws to regulate midwifery and set requirements for freestanding birthing centers. It also designates May 5th as the 'Day of the Midwife'.

Summary

To amend sections 3701.351, 3702.30, 3702.301, 4723.01, 4723.02, 4723.03, 4723.06, 4723.07, 4723.08, 4723.271, 4723.28, 4723.282, 4723.33, 4723.34, 4723.341, 4723.35, 4723.41, 4723.43, 4723.431, 4723.432, 4723.481, 4723.483, 4723.487, 4723.488, 4723.4810, 4723.4811, 4723.50, 4723.91, 4723.99, 4731.22, and 4731.27 and to enact sections 5.2324, 3702.35, 4723.53, 4723.54, 4723.55, 4723.551, 4723.56, 4723.57, 4723.58, 4723.581, 4723.582, 4723.583, 4723.584, 4723.59, 4723.60, 4724.01, 4724.02, 4724.03, 4724.04, 4724.05, 4724.06, 4724.07, 4724.08, 4724.09, 4724.10, 4724.11, 4724.12, 4724.13, 4724.14, 4724.15, 4724.16, and 4724.99 of the Revised Code to regulate the practice of midwifery, to establish requirements for freestanding birthing centers, and to designate May 5th as the "Day of the Midwife."

Bill Text

Action History

  1. As Introduced

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 133 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (133)

133 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 133 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 438 do?
To amend sections 3701.351, 3702.30, 3702.301, 4723.01, 4723.02, 4723.03, 4723.06, 4723.07, 4723.08, 4723.271, 4723.28, 4723.282, 4723.33, 4723.34, 4723.341, 4723.35, 4723.41, 4723.43, 4723.431, 4723.432, 4723.481, 4723.483, 4723.487, 4723.488, 4723.4810, 4723.4811, 4723.50, 4723.91, 4723.99, 4731.22, and 4731.27 and to enact sections 5.2324, 3702.35, 4723.53, 4723.54, 4723.55, 4723.551, 4723.56, 4723.57, 4723.58, 4723.581, 4723.582, 4723.583, 4723.584, 4723.59, 4723.60, 4724.01, 4724.02, 4724.03, 4724.04, 4724.05, 4724.06, 4724.07, 4724.08, 4724.09, 4724.10, 4724.11, 4724.12, 4724.13, 4724.14, 4724.15, 4724.16, and 4724.99 of the Revised Code to regulate the practice of midwifery, to establish requirements for freestanding birthing centers, and to designate May 5th as the "Day of the Midwife."
Who sponsors SB 438?
SB 438 is sponsored by Michele Reynolds (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 438?
This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced May 13, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 438?
Track SB 438 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on SB 438

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Stay ahead of SB 438

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →