Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires a woman considering an abortion to undergo counseling and wait 72 hours before the procedure can be performed.

Highlights:

• Requires physicians to personally consult with a pregnant woman and assess her medical and personal circumstances before scheduling an abortion, which must be scheduled at least 72 hours after the consultation and assessment (Sec. 3). 

• Specifies that during the consultation, the physician must do the following (Sec. 3):
• Determine whether coercion has influenced the pregnant woman's decision to receive an abortion, including noting the approximate age of the father of the fetus to determine if an age difference between the parents has created undue influence on the decision;
• Provide the pregnant woman with names, addresses, and phone numbers of all pregnancy help centers registered with the Department of Health; and
• Give the woman written instructions specifying that she is required to have a private interview at a pregnancy help center prior to the scheduled date of the abortion in order to inform her about the options available to help her keep her pregnancy.

• Requires a pregnant woman to complete a consultation at a pregnancy help center prior to the date of a scheduled abortion, during which an interviewer is authorized to determine whether coercion has influenced the pregnant woman's decision and to provide that determination to the abortion provider (Sec. 6).

• Requires the Department of Health to maintain and publish a registry of pregnancy help centers located within the state that seek to "educate, counsel, and otherwise assist women to help them maintain their relationship with their unborn children" (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires a woman considering an abortion to undergo counseling and wait 72 hours before the procedure can be performed.

Highlights:

• Requires physicians to personally consult with a pregnant woman and assess her medical and personal circumstances before scheduling an abortion, which must be scheduled at least 72 hours after the consultation and assessment (Sec. 3). 

• Specifies that during the consultation, the physician must do the following (Sec. 3):
• Determine whether coercion has influenced the pregnant woman's decision to receive an abortion, including noting the approximate age of the father of the fetus to determine if an age difference between the parents has created undue influence on the decision;
• Provide the pregnant woman with names, addresses, and phone numbers of all pregnancy help centers registered with the Department of Health; and
• Give the woman written instructions specifying that she is required to have a private interview at a pregnancy help center prior to the scheduled date of the abortion in order to inform her about the options available to help her keep her pregnancy.

• Requires a pregnant woman to complete a consultation at a pregnancy help center prior to the date of a scheduled abortion, during which an interviewer is authorized to determine whether coercion has influenced the pregnant woman's decision and to provide that determination to the abortion provider (Sec. 6).

• Requires the Department of Health to maintain and publish a registry of pregnancy help centers located within the state that seek to "educate, counsel, and otherwise assist women to help them maintain their relationship with their unborn children" (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text