Signed by Governor John Bel Edwards

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits abortion procedures after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

Highlights:

• Prohibits an individual from performing an abortion on a pregnant woman before determining if the unborn human individual that the pregnant woman is carrying has a detectable fetal heartbeat (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits an individual from knowingly performing an abortion on a pregnant woman with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of the life of the unborn human individual that the pregnant woman is carrying and whose fetal heartbeat has been detected (Sec. 1).

• Specifies an individual is not in violation if the individual performs a medical procedure designed to or intended, in that person’s reasonable medical judgment, to prevent the death of a pregnant woman or to prevent a serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman (Sec. 1).

• Defines “unborn human individual” as an individual organism of the species homo sapiens from fertilization until live birth (Sec. 1).

• Defines “fetal heartbeat” as cardiac activity or the steady and repetitive rhythmic contraction of the fetal heart within the gestational sac (Sec. 1).

• Requires any individual who performs an abortion on a pregnant woman to note in the pregnant woman’s medical records that a medical emergency necessitating the abortion existed (Sec. 1).

• Requires an individual who intends to perform an abortion on a pregnant woman to determine if there is the presence of a fetal heartbeat of the unborn human individual that the pregnant women is carrying according to standard medical practices (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the State Board of Health to promulgate rules for the appropriate methods of performing an examination for presence of a fetal heartbeat of an unborn human individual (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that if a physician performs an abortion on a pregnant woman before determining if the unborn human individual has a detectable heartbeat, the physician will be subject to disciplinary action (Sec. 1).

• Requires the individual intending to perform the abortion detects a heartbeat no later than 24 hours before the procedure, the individual must inform the pregnant women in writing that a fetal heartbeat was detected and inform her of the statistical probability of bringing the unborn human individual to term based on the gestational age of the unborn human individual (Sec. 1).

• Requires the pregnant woman to sign the form acknowledging that she has received information from the individual intending to perform the abortion that the unborn human individual has a fetal heartbeat and that she is aware of the statistical probability of carrying it to term (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that for the purposes of this act, “abortion” shall not include a abortion performed when the pregnancy is diagnosed as medically futile (Sec. 1).

• Defines “medically futile” as the unborn child has a profound and irremediable congenital or chromosomal anomaly that is incompatible with sustaining life after birth (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits abortion procedures after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

Highlights:

• Prohibits an individual from performing an abortion on a pregnant woman before determining if the unborn human individual that the pregnant woman is carrying has a detectable fetal heartbeat (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits an individual from knowingly performing an abortion on a pregnant woman with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of the life of the unborn human individual that the pregnant woman is carrying and whose fetal heartbeat has been detected (Sec. 1).

• Specifies an individual is not in violation if the individual performs a medical procedure designed to or intended, in that person’s reasonable medical judgment, to prevent the death of a pregnant woman or to prevent a serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman (Sec. 1).

• Defines “unborn human individual” as an individual organism of the species homo sapiens from fertilization until live birth (Sec. 1).

• Defines “fetal heartbeat” as cardiac activity or the steady and repetitive rhythmic contraction of the fetal heart within the gestational sac (Sec. 1).

• Requires any individual who performs an abortion on a pregnant woman to note in the pregnant woman’s medical records that a medical emergency necessitating the abortion existed (Sec. 1).

• Requires an individual who intends to perform an abortion on a pregnant woman to determine if there is the presence of a fetal heartbeat of the unborn human individual that the pregnant women is carrying according to standard medical practices (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the State Board of Health to promulgate rules for the appropriate methods of performing an examination for presence of a fetal heartbeat of an unborn human individual (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that if a physician performs an abortion on a pregnant woman before determining if the unborn human individual has a detectable heartbeat, the physician will be subject to disciplinary action (Sec. 1).

• Requires the individual intending to perform the abortion detects a heartbeat no later than 24 hours before the procedure, the individual must inform the pregnant women in writing that a fetal heartbeat was detected and inform her of the statistical probability of bringing the unborn human individual to term based on the gestational age of the unborn human individual (Sec. 1).

• Requires the pregnant woman to sign the form acknowledging that she has received information from the individual intending to perform the abortion that the unborn human individual has a fetal heartbeat and that she is aware of the statistical probability of carrying it to term (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that for the purposes of this act, “abortion” shall not include a abortion performed when the pregnancy is diagnosed as medically futile (Sec. 1).

• Defines “medically futile” as the unborn child has a profound and irremediable congenital or chromosomal anomaly that is incompatible with sustaining life after birth (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text