Project Vote Smart

Legislation - Veto Override Failed (Senate) - May 7, 2009 (Key vote)

Title: Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to override governor's veto of a bill that requires doctors to report on the necessity of each late-term abortion and allows civil action if an abortion is believed to have been performed illegally.

Highlight: -Requires medical facilities to keep written records of all abortions performed at the facility and to submit this in an annual report to the secretary of health and environment (Sec. 1). -Requires a written report for all late-term abortions to be submitted to the secretary of health and environment detailing the gestational age of the fetus and why the late-term abortion was necessary to preserve the life and health of the pregnant woman, and the medical basis for both determinations (Secs. 1, 4). -Prohibits an abortion being performed if the fetus is viable unless a physician has the documented referral of an unaffiliated doctor, which states that the abortion is necessary to preserve the life and health of the pregnant woman (Sec. 4). -Allows civil action to be brought against a physician by the woman, the father of the fetus if she was married to him at the time of the abortion, or the parents or guardians of the woman if she was under 18 at the time of the abortion, if the abortion was performed in violation of the law (Secs. 4, 6). -Requires, 24 hours prior to the abortion, that the pregnant woman be told in writing that "the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being" (Sec. 5).

Legislation - Vetoed (Executive) - April 23, 2009

Title: Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments

Legislation - Bill Passed (House) - April 3, 2009 (Key vote)

Title: Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires doctors to report on the necessity of each late-term abortion and allows civil action if an abortion is believed to have been performed illegally.

Highlight: -Requires medical facilities to keep written records of all abortions performed at the facility and to submit this in an annual report to the secretary of health and environment (Sec. 1). -Requires a written report for all late-term abortions to be submitted to the secretary of health and environment detailing the gestational age of the fetus and why the late-term abortion was necessary to preserve the life and health of the pregnant woman, and the medical basis for both determinations (Secs. 1, 4). -Prohibits an abortion being performed if the fetus is viable unless a physician has the documented referral of an unaffiliated doctor, which states that the abortion is necessary to preserve the life and health of the pregnant woman (Sec. 4). -Allows civil action to be brought against a physician by the woman, the father of the fetus if she was married to him at the time of the abortion, or the parents or guardians of the woman if she was under 18 at the time of the abortion, if the abortion was performed in violation of the law (Secs. 4, 6). -Requires, 24 hours prior to the abortion, that the pregnant woman be told in writing that "the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being" (Sec. 5).

Note:

NOTE: THIS IS A SUBSTITUTE BILL, MEANING THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORIGINAL BILL HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE SUBSTITUTE BILL TEXT DIFFERS FROM THE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE TEXT CAN VARY GREATLY.

Legislation - Concurrence Vote Passed (Senate) - April 3, 2009

Legislation - Bill Passed (Senate) - March 18, 2009

Legislation - Introduced (Senate) - Feb. 5, 2009

Title: Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion Law Amendments