North Dakota ‘Personhood’ Bill (SB 2303)

SB 2303 would expand the definition of “human being” in the North Dakota Century Code to include “an individual member of the species homo sapiens at every stage of development.”

The bill would exempt the following from the definition of homicide, manslaughter, and negligent homicide:

• Medical treatment for life-threatening conditions resulting in the accidental death of another person;
• Medical treatment for life-threatening conditions of pregnancy;
• Collecting, transferring or preserving an embryo created through in vitro fertilization;
• Disposal or destruction of an embryo created through in vitro fertilization that would not produce a live birth or which has not progressed in development for 36 hours in culture; and
• Administration of contraception prior to a clinically diagnosable pregnancy.

The bill would expand North Dakota’s Medicaid program to cover all pregnant women to the fullest extent allowable by federal law, and to provide equivalent pregnancy and delivery care coverage to pregnant women who do not have private insurance coverage.

STATUS

This bill was passed by the Senate but failed to pass the House.

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People

Organizations

• RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association — Publicly Campaigned