Montana Bill Prohibiting Abortion After Viability (SB 282)

SB 282 would prohibit an abortion from being performed when the fetus has reached viability.

The bill defines viable or viability to mean “that a fetus has attained a gestational age at which the probability that the fetus is able to live outside the mother’s womb, albeit with artificial aid,  is greater than 50%”

If a fetus is viable and a condition exists that poses an immediate, serious risk of death or substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant individual and they consent to the termination of the pregnancy, the physician or physician assistant would be required to induce labor or deliver the viable fetus by caesarean section and provide life-sustaining support to the viable fetus.

Any violation of this provision would be considered a felony.

STATUS

Passed the senate on February 24, 2017, by a 32-18 vote.

Passed the house on April 6, 2017, by a 60-40 vote.

Final passage in the senate on April 11, 2017, by a 32-18 vote.

Vetoed by Gov. Steve Bullock (D) on May 8, 2017.

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