Requirements for children born alive following abortion or attempted abortion and providing a penalty

What it would have done

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

This bill requires any health care provider present at the time an abortion or attempted abortion results in a child born alive to exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care provider would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age and to ensure that the child born alive is immediately transported and admitted to a hospital. A health care provider or an employee of a hospital, physician’s office, or clinic where abortions are performed or induced who has knowledge of a failure to comply with the requirements of the bill must immediately report the failure to an appropriate law enforcement agency. Any person who violates the requirement to exercise professional skill, care, and diligence or to ensure the child is transported and admitted to a hospital is guilty of a felony with a penalty of a fine not to exceed $10,000, imprisonment not to exceed six years, or both. The mother of the child born alive, however, may not be prosecuted. The bill specifies that a woman upon whom an abortion was performed or attempted may bring a claim for damages, including damages for personal injury and emotional and psychological distress, against a person who violates or attempts to violate the requirements of the bill.

The bill also makes intentionally causing the death of a child born alive as a result of an abortion or an attempted abortion a felony with a penalty of life imprisonment, which is the same penalty as first-degree intentional homicide. The mother of the child born alive may not be prosecuted under this provision in the bill.

Who's behind it

9 senators are its authors⁠. All 9 are Republicans.

19 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

• Amendment Histories