Life at Conception Act of 2019 (H.R. 616)

This law was last updated on Sep 28, 2019

State

Federal

Number

H.R. 616

Status

Proposed

Jan 16, 2019

Topics

Personhood

Full Bill Text

www.congress.gov

H.R. 616 would grant equal protection under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States for the right to life of each born and “preborn” human person.

“Human person” is defined as:

[…]each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.

The bill would grant constitutional rights to fertilized eggs, embryos, fetuses, and clones. It would effectively ban abortion with no exception for rape, incest, or to save the life of the pregnant person. It would also ban birth control pills, IUDs, and emergency contraception. In addition, it would eliminate certain medical choices for women, including some cancer treatments and in vitro fertilization.

The bill would not allow for prosecution of any pregnant person for the “death” of their “unborn child.”

Related Legislation

Nearly identical to S. 159.

Identical to H.R. 681 and similar to S. 231, both of which failed to pass during the 2017-2018 legislative session.

Similar to H.R. 816 (2016), S. 2464 (2015), and H.R. 1091/S.583 (2013), all of which failed to pass.

Latest Action

1/16/19 – Introduced; referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

3/4/19 – Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.