Tennessee Fetal Heartbeat Bill (HB 1892)

This law was last updated on Mar 23, 2018

State

Tennessee

Number

HB 1892

Status

Proposed

Jan 25, 2018

Topics

Forced Ultrasound, Heartbeat Bans

Full Bill Text

www.capitol.tn.gov

HB 1892 would prohibit all abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, except in the case of a medical emergency.

A fetal heartbeat can be detected as early as six weeks of pregnancy—two weeks after a woman’s first missed period—and well before many women even realize that they are pregnant.

The bill would require a physician to first determine whether the fetus the pregnant person is carrying has a detectable heartbeat. An ultrasound would be required to determine the presence of a fetal heartbeat.

If a fetal heartbeat is detected, the physician would be prohibited from performing an abortion unless there is a medical emergency. If such an emergency exists and the fetus has not attained viability, the performing physician would need to licensed or certified. If such an emergency exists and the fetus is viable, the bill would require the performing physician to be licensed and the abortion procedure to be performed in a licensed hospital.

The person who determines the presence or absence of a fetal heartbeat would be required to

Record in the pregnant person’s medical record the estimated gestational age of the fetus, the ultrasound method used to test for a fetal heartbeat, the date and time of the test, and the results of the test, including the presence or absence of a fetal heartbeat; and
Offer the pregnant person the results of the ultrasound, including if a fetal heartbeat is detected.

The person who performs the ultrasound for the presence of a fetal heartbeat would be required to offer the pregnant person the option to view or hear the fetal heartbeat.

A physician who performs an abortion or attempts to procure a miscarriage after the detection of a fetal heartbeat and before or during viability under the medical emergency exception would be required to declare the following in a written statement to be placed in the patient’s medical records:

That the procedure is necessary, to the best of the physician’s reasonable medical judgement, due to a medical emergency; and
The specific condition that constitutes the medical emergency and that the procedure is asserted to address, and the medical rationale for the physician’s conclusion that the procedure is necessary to address the medical emergency.

A physician who performs an abortion or attempts to procure a miscarriage prior to determining a fetal heartbeat due to a medical emergency would be required to note the following in the patient’s medical records:

The physician’s belief that a medical emergency necessitating the procedure existed; and
The condition of the pregnant patient that prevented compliance.

Related Legislation

Companion bill to SB 1961.

Similar to HB 108/SB 244, which were introduced in 2017.