SB 520 HAS BEEN SIGNED INTO LAW
- Alyssa Fraizer
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
On October 11, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom officially signed SB 520 into law, a powerful move toward expanding access to culturally responsive, community-rooted maternal care in California.
The bill, supported by Senator Anna Caballero, creates a dedicated fund to establishing new nurse-midwifery master programs across the state. These programs will help meet the growing demand for midwives, especially in underserved communities where birthing people continue to face significant barriers to care.
To read official press release from Senator Caballeros office click below:
Why SB 520 Matters
California is facing a maternity care crisis. In many communities, especially Black, Indigenous, and low-income areas; people giving birth struggle to access timely, appropriate, and culturally competent care. Midwives are a key part of the solution, but without enough training programs in the state, the pipeline of future providers remains limited.
SB 520 directly addresses this gap by providing funding for new, state-based nurse-midwifery education programs. A sustainable, long-term investment in our reproductive health workforce.
BWPC’s Role in SB 520
BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center is proud to have supported SB 520 from its early stages. On July 28, 2025, our team stood alongside Senator Caballero at the Capitol to speak on the importance of this bill and to highlight the urgent need for solutions that center equity, access, and cultural competency. Additionally, Brittany Mbong, Certified Nurse Midwife Manager at BWPC, delivered remarks at the State Assembly, advocating for SB 520 on behalf of midwives, mothers, and families throughout California.
Read our blog about Brittany’s testimony here
We also encourage you to review the official press releases from Senator Caballero’s office, which outline the bill’s purpose and impact:
Legislative Wins for Midwives in 2025
SB 520 is part of a broader movement this year to support maternal health and midwifery in California. We’re celebrating several additional wins for midwives and the families they serve:
AB 55 (Bonta): Streamlines outdated licensing barriers for freestanding birth centers, increasing access to safe, community-based maternity care for Medi-Cal and underserved families.
SB 520 (Caballero): Establishes new nurse-midwifery master’s programs to expand access to high-quality, culturally responsive care.
SB 669 (McGuire): Creates an Emergency Standby Perinatal Unit pilot program to support patients transferred from freestanding birth centers or who present to emergency departments in crisis.
AB 836 (Stefani): Funds a statewide analysis to strengthen California’s midwifery education pipeline, with a focus on equity and workforce sustainability
