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Title: Amending Statutes Regulating Abortion
Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote to pass a bill that requires physicians and abortion facilities to follow guidelines concerning abortion including, but not limited to, notification of guardian for a minor's abortion, records of every abortion performed, and identification of fetus as human life to patients.
Highlights:
- Prohibits minors who are not married or freed by court order from the care, custody, and control of the minor's parents, from having as abortion without the notarized written consent of the minor and both parents of the legal guardian (Sec. 4).
- Authorizes consent to be waived if the court finds clear and convincing evidence that either (Sec. 4):
- The minor is mature and well-informed enough to make the abortion decision on her own;
- The consent of the parents or other legal guardians would not be in the best interest of the minor; or
- The attending physician believes an emergency exists that threatens the health, safety or well-being of the minor as to require an abortion.
- Authorizes the court to require a minor to participate in an evaluation and counseling session to be used as an aid to the court in its decision to determine if a minor is mature and well-informed enough to make the abortion decision without parental consent (Sec. 4).
- Authorizes a parent or legal guardian of the minor to pursue civil remedies against parties who violate the rights of parents and legal guardians in relation to the abortions of the minor (Sec. 4).
- Requires physicians performing abortions to submit a written report to the mother and to the secretary of health and environment including, but not limited to (Sec. 1, 3):
- The medical diagnosis and condition which necessitated the performance of an abortion to preserve the life of the pregnant woman and shall specify:
- If the unborn child was determined to be nonviable; -If the abortion is necessary to preserve the life of the pregnant woman and what the physician believes would cause the death of the pregnant woman; and
- If a continuation of the pregnancy will cause a substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the mother and what the specific medical condition would be.
- Requires a physician who is to perform an abortion to inform the woman in writing that the abortion will terminate the life of a whole living human being (Sec. 5).
- Defines "human being" as an individual living ember of the species of homo sapiens, including the unborn child being during the entire embryonic and fetal ages from fertilization to full gestation (Sec. 5).