Signed by Governor Butch Otter

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires medical professionals to report certain information related to complications resulting from abortion.

Highlights:

• Requires any medical practitioner or facility that treats a patient care for complications resulting from an abortion to file a written report with the Department of Health and Welfare within 90 days (Sec. 1).

• Defines “complication” to include medical issues including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 1):

• Uterine perforation;

• Infection;

• Hemorrhage;

• Failure to terminate;

• Subsequent development of breast cancer;

• Inability, refusal, or unwillingness to have follow-up care;

• Inability, refusal, or unwillingness to have a follow-up visit;

• Any psychological or emotional condition reported by the patient;

• Cramps that do not improve with medication; and

• Any other adverse event.

• Requires those who submit an application to attempt to ascertain and report information including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 1):

• Age and race of patient;

• Number of pregnancies, live births, and abortions of the patient;

• Date of the abortion;

• Gestational age of the fetus; and

• The specific complication.

• Prohibits required reports from containing the following information (Sec. 1):

• Name of the patient;

• Common identifiers, such as social security number; and

• Any other information that would made it possible to identify the patient.

• Classifies the willful reporting of false information as a misdemeanor (Sec. 1).

• Classifies the willful disclosure of information from a report as a misdemeanor (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that any individual who willfully fails to file a report is guilty of unprofessional conduct and subject to discipline, as well as a civil fine of $500 per incident (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes boards of medicine to take disciplinary action against practitioners for failure to comply with this statute (Secs. 2 & 3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires medical professionals to report certain information related to complications resulting from abortion.

Highlights:

• Requires any medical practitioner or facility that treats a patient care for complications resulting from an abortion to file a written report with the Department of Health and Welfare within 90 days (Sec. 1).

• Defines “complication” to include medical issues including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 1):

• Uterine perforation;

• Infection;

• Hemorrhage;

• Failure to terminate;

• Subsequent development of breast cancer;

• Inability, refusal, or unwillingness to have follow-up care;

• Inability, refusal, or unwillingness to have a follow-up visit;

• Any psychological or emotional condition reported by the patient;

• Cramps that do not improve with medication; and

• Any other adverse event.

• Requires those who submit an application to attempt to ascertain and report information including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 1):

• Age and race of patient;

• Number of pregnancies, live births, and abortions of the patient;

• Date of the abortion;

• Gestational age of the fetus; and

• The specific complication.

• Prohibits required reports from containing the following information (Sec. 1):

• Name of the patient;

• Common identifiers, such as social security number; and

• Any other information that would made it possible to identify the patient.

• Classifies the willful reporting of false information as a misdemeanor (Sec. 1).

• Classifies the willful disclosure of information from a report as a misdemeanor (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that any individual who willfully fails to file a report is guilty of unprofessional conduct and subject to discipline, as well as a civil fine of $500 per incident (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes boards of medicine to take disciplinary action against practitioners for failure to comply with this statute (Secs. 2 & 3).

Full Bill Text