
Culture & Conversation Abortion
This law was last updated on Oct 20, 2017
This law is Anti–Choice
SB 1
Failed to Pass
Jun 12, 2017
Co-sponsors: 7
Primary Sponsors: 1
Total Sponsors: 8
SB 1 would modify provisions relating to abortion, including pathology fetal organs and tissue reports, local abortion policies, employee disclosure policies, and inspections of abortion facilities.
Fetal Organs and Tissue Reporting Requirements
The bill would require that all fetal organs and tissue removed at the time of an abortion be sent to a pathologist within 24 hours for gross and histopathological examination.
The department would need to reconcile each notice of abortion with its corresponding fetal organs and tissue report.
If the department does not receive either a notice or a report, the department would be required to conduct an investigation and, if a deficiency is discovered, must perform an unscheduled inspection of the facility to ensure such deficiency is remedied. If the deficiency is not remedied, the department must suspend the abortion facility’s or hospital’s license for at least one year, subject to applicable licensure procedures.
The bill would require the department, beginning January 1, 2018, to make an annual report to the General Assembly. The report would need to include all reports and information received by the department under this law, the number of any deficiencies of each abortion facility in the year and whether such deficiencies were remedied, and the following for each abortion procedure reported:
Attorney General
The bill would grant the Attorney General power to have concurrent original jurisdiction throughout the state for actions for a violation of any:
Local Abortion Policies
The bill would preempt political subdivision authority regarding abortion in certain circumstances.
The bill would prohibit a political subdivision from enacting, adopting, maintaining, or enforcing any order, ordinance, rule, regulation, policy, or other similar measure that:
The bill provides that a court may order injunctive relief with specified damages for any violations. The Attorney General may also bring a cause of action to defend the rights guaranteed under this act.
Whistleblower Protections
The bill would require each hospital, ambulatory surgical center, pathology lab, medical research entity, and any other facility involved in elective abortions to establish and implement a written policy to protect employees who disclose information concerning actual, potential, or alleged violations of applicable federal or state laws.
TRAP
The bill would require the department to conduct annual, unannounced, on-site inspections and investigations of abortion facilities. These inspections must address certain areas of interest including:
Inspection, investigation, and reports would need to be made available to the public.
Related Legislation
Similar to HB 456/SB 67 and HB 602, all of which failed to pass during the regular 2017 legislative session.
Similar to SB 5.
Similar to the attorney general provision found in HB 6.
The local abortion policies provision is similar to HB 9/SB 6.
STATUS
This bill was introduced during the 2017 special session.
Co-sponsor
Primary Sponsor