
Texas Bill Relating to the Rights of a Living Child After an Abortion (HB 16)
This law was last updated on Sep 2, 2019
This law is Anti–Choice
Number
HB 16
Status
Current
Proposed
Mar 7, 2019
Sponsors
Co-sponsors: 83
Primary Sponsors: 5
Total Sponsors: 88
Topics
Later AbortionFull Bill Text
HB 16 requires a physician to exercise the same degree of “professional skill, care, and diligence” to preserve the life and health of a child born alive after an abortion as they would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age. This includes the requirement that the physician who performed or attempted to perform the abortion ensure that the child born alive be immediately transferred to a hospital.
A physician who fails to provide the appropriate medical treatment to a child born alive after an abortion would be liable to the state for a civil penalty of at least $100,000. The attorney general would be authorized to bring a suit to collect the penalty.
A physician or health-care practitioner who fails to provide the appropriate medical treatment to a child born alive after an abortion or an attempted abortion would be committing a felony of the third degree, punishable by imprisonment for any term between two to 10 years.
The bill allows the child born alive, or their parent or legal guardian, to bring a civil action against a physician who performed or attempted the abortion if the physician fails to provide the appropriate medical treatment to the child.
Related Legislation
Similar to SB 23.
Latest Action
3/7/19 – Introduced.
4/17/19 – Passed the House in a 94-2 vote.
5/16/19 – Amended; passed the Senate in a 21-10 vote.
5/23/19 – Concurred in House.
6/14/19 – Signed into law by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
People
Co-sponsor
- Cody Harris
- Steve Allison
- Reggie Smith
- Sam Harless
- Todd Hunter
- Leo Pacheco
- Mayes Middleton
- Keith Bell
- Ben Leman
- Jared Patterson
- Candy Noble
- Brad Buckley
- Angela Paxton
- Cecil Bell
- Drew Darby
- Lyle Larson
- J.M. Lozano
- J.D. Sheffield
- Morgan Meyer
- Kyle Biedermann
- Cole Hefner
- Mike Lang
- Valoree Swanson
- Lynn Stucky
- Justin Holland
- Briscoe Cain
- Ernest Bailes
- Jay Dean
- Stan Lambert
- Hugh Shine
- Terry Wilson
- John Raney
- Gary Vandeaver
- John Wray
- Dustin Burrows
- Charlie Geren
- Andrew Murr
- Matthew Shaheen
- Bob Hall
- Four Price
- John Cyrier
- Paul Bettencourt
- William Metcalf
- Dade Phelan
- Brooks Landgraf
- DeWayne Burns
- Ken King
- Tony Tinderholt
- Dennis Paul
- Charles Schwertner
- Angie Button
- Lois Kolkhorst
- Trent Ashby
- Travis Clardy
- Dan Huberty
- Kyle Kacal
- Chris Paddie
- Tan Parker
- John Zerwas
- Jane Nelson
- Dwayne Bohac
- Donna Campbell
- Charles "Doc" Anderson
- Giovanni Capriglione
- Dan Flynn
- James Frank
- John Frullo
- Craig Goldman
- Phil King
- Matt Krause
- John Kuempel
- Rick Miller
- Jim Murphy
- Scott Sanford
- Matt Schaefer
- John Smithee
- Drew Springer
- Phil Stephenson
- Jonathan Stickland
- Ed Thompson
- Steve Toth
- James White
- William Zedler
Primary Sponsor
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