Requiring the showing of a video for informed consent for an abortion and granting rule-making authority

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, a woman upon whom an abortion is to be performed or induced must give voluntary and informed written consent to the 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. Currently, 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.

This bill adds to the requirements for consent to an abortion to be considered informed that, at least 24 hours before the abortion is to be performed or induced, a physician must show the woman a video that depicts an animation or other illustration of the type of abortion procedure that is to be performed or induced. The physician must show the video regardless of whether or not a medical emergency exists and the requirement to show the video is not subject to the time waiver for pregnancies resulting from sexual assault or incest. The bill requires that the Department of Health Services, similarly to other materials provided for informed consent, distribute copies of or provide access to videos that are approved by DHS by rule. A physician may show or DHS may distribute existing videos that are approved by DHS in lieu of videos created by DHS.

Who's behind it

André Jacque, a Republican, is its author⁠.

7 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.