Signed by Governor Rick Perry

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases abortion facility requirements, regulates the administration of abortion inducing drugs, and prohibits abortions after 20 weeks of gestation.

Highlights:

• Prohibits a physician from performing or attempting to perform an abortion if a fetus is determined to have reached a “probable post-fertilization age” of 20 weeks (Sec. 3).

• Defines “post-fertilization age” as the age of the fetus as calculated from the time of fertilization (Sec. 3).

• Exempts an abortion performed after 20 weeks if the abortion is necessary to avert the death or serious physical impairment of a major bodily function of the patient or if the abortion is performed due to a “severe fetal abnormality” (Sec. 3).

• Defines “severe fetal abnormality” as a life threatening physical condition that, in “reasonable” medical judgment, is incompatible with life outside of the womb (Sec. 3).

• Requires a physician to perform the abortion in a manner which will provide the best opportunity for the fetus to survive unless termination of the pregnancy in that manner poses a greater risk of death or serious injury of the patient than another available method (Sec. 3).

• Prohibits a physician from performing an abortion after 20 weeks due to a claim or diagnosis that the woman will engage in conduct that may result in her death or in substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function (Sec. 3).

• Requires a physician who performs an abortion to have admitting privileges at a hospital that provides obstetrical or gynecological health care services and that is located no more than 30 miles from the location where the abortion is to be performed (Sec. 2).

• Requires the physician to provide the abortion patient with a phone number where he or she may be reached 24 hours a day and the name and phone number of the closest hospital from the abortion patient’s home in the event of a complication (Sec. 2).

• Classifies a violation of these provisions by a physician as a Class A misdemeanor with a penalty of no more than $4,000 (Sec. 2).

• Requires abortion facilities to meet the standards of ambulatory surgical centers, effective September 1, 2014 (Sec. 4).

• Prohibits an individual, other than a physician, from administering, selling, dispensing, or prescribing an abortion-inducing drug (Sec. 3).

• Defines “abortion-inducing drug” as a drug, medicine, or other substance prescribed, dispensed, or administered with the intent of terminating a clinically diagnosable pregnancy (Sec. 3).

• Requires the physician to examine the patient prior to administering or prescribing an abortion-inducing drug to determine and document the gestation age and location of the fetus (Sec. 3).

• Requires the physician to prescribe and administer the abortion-inducing drug according to the guidelines outlined by the Food and Drug Administration and in a dosage amount prescribed by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Practice Bulletin as of January 1, 2013 (Sec. 3).

• Requires the physician who administers, sells, dispenses, or prescribes an abortion-inducing drug to schedule a follow-up visit with the patient no more than 14 days after the administration or use of the drug (Sec. 3).

• Requires the physician to make a “reasonable effort” to ensure that the patient returns for the scheduled follow-up visit (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that a procedure is not considered an abortion for the purposes of this bill if the procedure is performed for the following purposes (Sec. 3):
• The procedure is performed to save the life of the fetus;
• The procedure is preformed to remove a fetus whose death was caused by a spontaneous abortion;
• The procedure is preformed to remove an ectopic pregnancy; or
• The procedure is performed to treat a disease or illness of the patient.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases abortion facility requirements, regulates the administration of abortion inducing drugs, and prohibits abortions after 20 weeks of gestation.

Highlights:

• Prohibits a physician from performing or attempting to perform an abortion if a fetus is determined to have reached a “probable post-fertilization age” of 20 weeks (Sec. 3).

• Defines “post-fertilization age” as the age of the fetus as calculated from the time of fertilization (Sec. 3).

• Exempts an abortion performed after 20 weeks if the abortion is necessary to avert the death or serious physical impairment of a major bodily function of the patient or if the abortion is performed due to a “severe fetal abnormality” (Sec. 3).

• Defines “severe fetal abnormality” as a life threatening physical condition that, in “reasonable” medical judgment, is incompatible with life outside of the womb (Sec. 3).

• Requires a physician to perform the abortion in a manner which will provide the best opportunity for the fetus to survive unless termination of the pregnancy in that manner poses a greater risk of death or serious injury of the patient than another available method (Sec. 3).

• Prohibits a physician from performing an abortion after 20 weeks due to a claim or diagnosis that the woman will engage in conduct that may result in her death or in substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function (Sec. 3).

• Requires a physician who performs an abortion to have admitting privileges at a hospital that provides obstetrical or gynecological health care services and that is located no more than 30 miles from the location where the abortion is to be performed (Sec. 2).

• Requires the physician to provide the abortion patient with a phone number where he or she may be reached 24 hours a day and the name and phone number of the closest hospital from the abortion patient’s home in the event of a complication (Sec. 2).

• Classifies a violation of these provisions by a physician as a Class A misdemeanor with a penalty of no more than $4,000 (Sec. 2).

• Requires abortion facilities to meet the standards of ambulatory surgical centers, effective September 1, 2014 (Sec. 4).

• Prohibits an individual, other than a physician, from administering, selling, dispensing, or prescribing an abortion-inducing drug (Sec. 3).

• Defines “abortion-inducing drug” as a drug, medicine, or other substance prescribed, dispensed, or administered with the intent of terminating a clinically diagnosable pregnancy (Sec. 3).

• Requires the physician to examine the patient prior to administering or prescribing an abortion-inducing drug to determine and document the gestation age and location of the fetus (Sec. 3).

• Requires the physician to prescribe and administer the abortion-inducing drug according to the guidelines outlined by the Food and Drug Administration and in a dosage amount prescribed by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Practice Bulletin as of January 1, 2013 (Sec. 3).

• Requires the physician who administers, sells, dispenses, or prescribes an abortion-inducing drug to schedule a follow-up visit with the patient no more than 14 days after the administration or use of the drug (Sec. 3).

• Requires the physician to make a “reasonable effort” to ensure that the patient returns for the scheduled follow-up visit (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that a procedure is not considered an abortion for the purposes of this bill if the procedure is performed for the following purposes (Sec. 3):
• The procedure is performed to save the life of the fetus;
• The procedure is preformed to remove a fetus whose death was caused by a spontaneous abortion;
• The procedure is preformed to remove an ectopic pregnancy; or
• The procedure is performed to treat a disease or illness of the patient.

Full Bill Text