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Culture & Conversation Abortion
This law was last updated on Jun 13, 2014
SB 417
Current
Feb 20, 2013
SB 417 amends Arkansas’ Criminal Code to include personhood language.
The bill modifies the definition of “unborn child” in Ark. Stat. Ann. § 5-1-102(13) to mean “offspring of human beings from conception until birth.” Previously, the law defined “unborn child” as “a living fetus of twelve (12) weeks or greater gestation.” The criminal code classifies the death of a fetus caused by a wrongful act, neglect, or default as a felony, but SB 417 provides exceptions for in vitro fertilization and infertility treatment.
Existing law provides a cause of action for the wrongful death of a “viable fetus.” SB 417 amends existing law to provide a cause of action for the wrongful death of an “unborn child.” The bill replaces the word “fetus” with the term “unborn child” throughout the law.
The bill defines “unborn child” to mean “offspring of human beings from conception until birth.”
The bill specifies that a cause of action for the wrongful death of an unborn viable fetus does not apply to: