Skip to content

Bills · 2013-2014 Regular Session

SB 201

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: civil liability for performing a sex-selective abortion, and providing a penalty. (FE)

Abortion Court — Procedure Damage _personal injury_ Discrimination Family — Support Privacy

  1. Introduced, stopped here
  2. Passes Senate, not reached
  3. Passes Assembly, not reached
  4. Governor signs, not reached
  5. Law, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill creates a prohibition against knowingly performing a sex-selective

abortion. Under the bill, a sex-selective abortion is an abortion performed,

requested, or sought solely because of the sex of the unborn child.

Under the bill, the mother, father, or grandparent of an unborn child that is

aborted in a sex-selective abortion may sue the person who performed the abortion

for compensatory civil damages, including for emotional and psychological harm.

Under the bill, if a court awards compensatory damages, the person who performed

the abortion is also required to pay exemplary damages of $10,000 and the plaintiffs'

attorney fees.

Under the bill, the mother, father, or grandparent of an unborn child that is

aborted in a sex-selective abortion may also seek injunction relief, wherein the court

may enjoin the person who performed the abortion from performing another

sex-selective abortion. If the person violates the terms of the injunction, the bill

requires the court to hold the person in civil contempt of the order and requires the

person to pay a civil penalty of $10,000 for a first violation, $50,000 for a second

violation, and $100,000 for a third and for each subsequent violation.

The bill requires that a civil action seeking redress for a sex-selective abortion

be held privately, and that the names of all of the plaintiffs in the action be kept

confidential, unless the plaintiffs request that the proceedings be held in open court.

What it would cost

Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs

Sponsors

Introduced by: Farrow (R) , Grothman (R) , Kedzie (R) , Lazich (R) , Leibham (R) , Schultz (R)

22 cosponsors

A. Ott (R) , Ballweg (R) , Bernier (R) , Born (R) , Brooks (R) , Craig (R) , Endsley (R) , Jacque (R) , Kaufert (R) , Kestell (R) , Kleefisch (R) , Kooyenga (R) , LeMahieu (R) , Marklein (R) , Nass (R) , Pridemore (R) , Ripp (R) , Sanfelippo (R) , Severson (R) , T. Larson (R) , Thiesfeldt (R) , Tittl (R)

Votes

Senate: Report passage recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 3, Noes 2

Passed 3–2 Nov 7, 2013 official source full page

No individual roll call was recorded for this vote. Committee votes and some older sessions record totals only.

Full history

  1. May 30, 2013 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Leibham, Lazich, Grothman, Schultz, Farrow and Kedzie; cosponsored by Representatives Kestell, Jacque, Ballweg, Bernier, Born, Brooks, Craig, Endsley, Kaufert, Kleefisch, Kooyenga, LeMahieu, Marklein, Nass, A. Ott, Pridemore, Thiesfeldt, Tittl, Sanfelippo, Severson, T. Larson and Ripp

  2. May 30, 2013 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

  3. Jun 5, 2013 · Senate

    Public hearing held

  4. Jun 7, 2013 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  5. Jun 11, 2013 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received

  6. Nov 7, 2013 · Senate

    Executive action taken

  7. Nov 7, 2013 · Senate

    Report passage recommended by Committee on Health and Human Services, Ayes 3, Noes 2

  8. Nov 7, 2013 · Senate

    Available for scheduling

  9. Apr 8, 2014 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1