Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that requires an ultrasound prior to an abortion procedure.

Highlights:

• Requires a physician or qualified technician, prior to an abortion procedure, to display fetal images, live video or electronic ultrasound images, and audible heartbeat sounds of the unborn embryo for the pregnant woman to hear (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits this bill from preventing a pregnant woman from averting her eyes from the fetal images or requesting the volume of a heartbeat be reduced or turned off (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that a physician, qualified technician, and pregnant woman is not subject to any civil or criminal penalty if the pregnant woman refuses to look at the fetal images or listen to the heartbeat (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that a transabdominal ultrasound satisfies the requirement to display fetal images regardless of the stage of pregnancy (Sec 2).

• Prohibits transvaginal ultrasounds from satisfying the requirements to display fetal images under this act (Sec. 2).

• Establishes a first offense penalty of $100,000 for physicians that fail to comply with the aforementioned provisions of this act and a $250,000 penalty for each subsequent offense thereafter (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the department of health to charge a reasonable fee to a pregnant woman seeking compliance with the requirements of this act (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text