SB 591

This bill requires certain information regarding an abortion-inducing drug

regimen to be provided to a woman that is planning to have an abortion induced by

the abortion-inducing drug regimen. The bill also adds to the information required

to be reported for induced abortions.

Informed consent

Under current law, a woman upon whom an abortion is to be performed or

induced must give voluntary and informed written consent to an abortion. Except

in a medical emergency, a woman's consent to an abortion is considered informed

only if, at least 24 hours before the abortion is performed or induced, the physician

or an assistant has, in person, orally provided the woman with certain information

and given to the woman certain written materials. If the pregnancy is the result of

sexual assault or incest, the 24-hour period, but not the provision of information,

may be waived or reduced under certain circumstances. The bill requires a

physician, as part of the information that must be provided, to inform the woman,

if she is considering or planning to have an abortion induced by an abortion-inducing

drug regimen that includes mifepristone, that the ingestion of the first drug in the

abortion-inducing drug regimen may not result in an immediate abortion and that,

if the woman changes her mind after ingesting the first drug, the woman may be able

to continue the pregnancy but time is of the essence and she should contact a

physician to discuss options or consult the information provided in the materials that

she is required to be given to locate a health care professional that can assist in

counteracting the effects of the drug. The bill requires the Department of Health

Services to include with the written materials that a woman considering an abortion

must be given materials that are designed to inform a woman about the possibilities

of continuing a pregnancy after ingesting an abortion-inducing drug, including

contact information for resources and health care professionals that assist women

in counteracting the effects of the drug and continuing their pregnancies.

Induced abortion reporting

The bill requires a hospital, clinic, or other facility in which an induced abortion

is performed to report additional information in its required annual report to DHS.

Under current law, the report must include, among other pieces of information, for

each patient, the state, and county if Wisconsin, of residence; certain demographic

information; the month and year in which the abortion was performed; the number

of weeks since the patient's last menstrual period; whether the abortion was

chemically or surgically induced or surgically induced following a failed chemical

abortion; any resulting complications; and certain information for abortions of an

unborn child capable of experiencing pain. The bill adds to the information required

in the report the number of previous induced abortions, if any; whether the induced

abortion was paid for by private health coverage, public assistance coverage, or

self-pay; and the reason for the induced abortion as selected from a list of reasons