Signed by Governor Gary Herbert

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires physicians performing an abortion to administer an anesthetic to a fetus who is at least 20 weeks gestational age.

Highlights:

• Requires a physician performing an abortion to administer an anesthetic or analgesic to the fetus prior to the procedure if the fetus is at least 20 weeks gestational age (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that fetal anesthetic or analgesic is not required if the abortion is necessary to avoid the following (Sec. 3):
• The death of the woman on whom the abortion is performed; or
• A “serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function” of the women on whom the abortion is performed.

• Specifies that fetal anesthetic or analgesic is not required if 2 physicians concur that the following cases apply (Sec. 3):
• The administration of the fetal anesthetic or analgesic would cause the death of, or a “serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function” of the woman on whom the abortion is performed; or 
• The fetus has a uniformly diagnosable and uniformly lethal defect.

Full Bill Text