Text: SSB01054 Text: SSB01056 Text: SSB01000 - SSB01099 Text: SSB Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 146A.1 TITLE. 1 2 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the 1 3 "Woman's Right to Know Act". 1 4 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 146A.2 DEFINITIONS. 1 5 As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise 1 6 requires: 1 7 1. "Abortion" means abortion as defined in section 146.1. 1 8 2. "Attempt to perform an unlawful abortion" means an act, 1 9 or an omission of an act required by law, that constitutes a 1 10 substantial step in a course of conduct intended to culminate 1 11 in the performance of an abortion in violation of this 1 12 chapter. 1 13 3. "Department" means the Iowa department of public 1 14 health. 1 15 4. "Medical emergency" means any condition which, on the 1 16 basis of a physician's good-faith clinical judgment, so 1 17 complicates the medical condition of a pregnant woman as to 1 18 necessitate the immediate performance of an abortion to avert 1 19 the pregnant woman's death, or to necessitate the immediate 1 20 performance of an abortion to avert a serious risk of 1 21 substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily 1 22 function if the performance of the abortion is delayed. 1 23 5. "Physician" means a person licensed to practice 1 24 medicine and surgery pursuant to chapter 148 or osteopathic 1 25 medicine and surgery pursuant to chapter 150A. 1 26 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 146A.3 VOLUNTARY AND INFORMED 1 27 CONSENT. 1 28 1. An abortion shall not be performed in this state 1 29 without the voluntary and informed consent of the woman upon 1 30 whom the abortion is to be performed. Except in the case of a 1 31 medical emergency, consent to an abortion is voluntary and 1 32 informed only if the requirements of this section are met. 1 33 2. The referring physician, the physician who will perform 1 34 the abortion, or an agent of either physician shall provide 1 35 all of the following information to the woman by telephone, by 2 1 audiotape, or in person, at the time the woman initially 2 2 contacts the physician's private office or a facility that 2 3 provides abortions to inquire about or to schedule an 2 4 appointment for an abortion: 2 5 a. Information that medical assistance benefits may be 2 6 available to the woman for prenatal care, childbirth, and 2 7 neonatal care. 2 8 b. Information that the putative father is liable to 2 9 assist in the support of the child and that efforts to collect 2 10 support may result in, but are not guaranteed to result in, 2 11 financial support of the child, even if the putative father 2 12 has offered to pay for the abortion. 2 13 c. Information that the woman has the right to review the 2 14 printed materials described in subsection 3. 2 15 3. a. After being informed of the woman's right to review 2 16 printed materials pursuant to subsection 2, if the woman 2 17 wishes to review the materials, all of the following shall 2 18 apply: 2 19 (1) If the department establishes an internet site, the 2 20 woman shall be informed that the materials are available 2 21 through a state-sponsored internet site and shall be informed 2 22 of the internet site address. 2 23 (2) If the woman initially contacts the physician's 2 24 private office or a facility that provides abortions in 2 25 person, the materials shall be provided to the woman at that 2 26 time. 2 27 (3) If the woman initially contacts the physician's 2 28 private office or a facility that provides abortions by 2 29 telephone and wishes to review the materials, the materials 2 30 shall be mailed to the woman by regular mail or by restricted 2 31 certified mail, as defined in section 618.15, as requested by 2 32 the woman. 2 33 (4) The woman shall be informed that the materials have 2 34 been provided by the state and that they describe the unborn 2 35 child and list agencies that offer alternatives to abortion. 3 1 b. The printed materials shall include all of the 3 2 following: 3 3 (1) Geographically indexed materials designed to inform 3 4 the woman of public and private agencies and services 3 5 available to assist a woman through pregnancy, at the time of 3 6 childbirth, and while the child is dependent, including 3 7 adoption agencies. The materials shall include a 3 8 comprehensive list of the agencies available, categorized by 3 9 the type of services offered, and a description of the manner, 3 10 including telephone numbers, in which the agencies may be 3 11 contacted. The department may also provide a toll-free, 3 12 twenty-four-hour-a-day telephone number which may be called to 3 13 obtain, orally, a list and description of agencies in the 3 14 locality of the caller and of the services offered. 3 15 (2) Materials that encourage consideration of placement 3 16 for adoption. The materials shall inform the woman of the 3 17 benefits of adoption, including the requirements of 3 18 confidentiality in the adoption process, the importance of 3 19 adoption to individuals and society, and the state's interest 3 20 in promoting adoption by preferring childbirth over abortion. 3 21 (3) Materials designed to inform the woman of the probable 3 22 anatomical and physiological characteristics of the unborn 3 23 child at two-week gestational increments from the time that it 3 24 is medically possible to make a determination of pregnancy to 3 25 full term. The materials shall include any relevant 3 26 information regarding the possibility of the survival of the 3 27 unborn child and pictures or drawings representing the 3 28 development of the unborn child at two-week gestational 3 29 increments, provided that any pictures or drawings shall 3 30 contain the dimensions of the unborn child and shall be 3 31 realistic and appropriate for the state of pregnancy depicted. 3 32 The materials shall be objective, nonjudgmental, and designed 3 33 to convey only accurate scientific information about the 3 34 unborn child at various gestational stages. The materials 3 35 shall also contain objective information describing the 4 1 methods of abortion procedures commonly used, the medical 4 2 risks commonly associated with each such procedure, the 4 3 possible detrimental psychological effects of abortion, and 4 4 the medical risks commonly associated with carrying an unborn 4 5 child to term. 4 6 4. A physician shall not perform an abortion on a woman 4 7 unless the physician obtains written certification that the 4 8 information required pursuant to subsection 2 was provided to 4 9 the woman. The physician shall retain a copy of the 4 10 certification and shall provide a copy of the certification to 4 11 the woman. 4 12 5. a. By October 1, 2003, the department shall cause the 4 13 information described in subsection 2 to be published in 4 14 printed format. The information shall be provided in an 4 15 easily comprehensible manner. The information shall be 4 16 published in a typeface large enough to be clearly legible. 4 17 The printed information shall be available from the department 4 18 at no cost, upon request, and in an appropriate number, to any 4 19 person. 4 20 b. The department may establish and maintain an internet 4 21 site to provide the information described in subsection 2. 4 22 The internet site shall provide for confidentiality of 4 23 individuals who access the site and no information identifying 4 24 the individual shall be collected or maintained. The 4 25 department shall monitor the internet site to ensure that the 4 26 site is secure and to prevent and correct any tampering with 4 27 the site. 4 28 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 146A.4 PROCEDURE IN CASE OF MEDICAL 4 29 EMERGENCY. 4 30 If a medical emergency necessitates the performance of an 4 31 abortion, the physician shall inform the woman, prior to the 4 32 performance of the abortion, if possible, of the medical 4 33 indications supporting the physician's judgment that the 4 34 immediate performance of an abortion is necessary to avert the 4 35 woman's death or that a delay in the performance of an 5 1 abortion will create a serious risk of substantial and 5 2 irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. 5 3 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 146A.5 CRIMINAL PENALTIES. 5 4 1. A person who knowingly or recklessly performs or 5 5 attempts to perform an abortion in violation of this chapter 5 6 is guilty of a simple misdemeanor. 5 7 2. A criminal penalty shall not be assessed under this 5 8 chapter against a woman upon whom an abortion is performed or 5 9 attempted to be performed. A criminal penalty shall not be 5 10 assessed for failure of a woman to comply with the requirement 5 11 of written certification pursuant to section 146A.3, if the 5 12 department has not made the information available at the time 5 13 the physician or the physician's agent is required to inform 5 14 the woman of the woman's right to review the information. 5 15 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION. 146A.6 PROTECTION OF PRIVACY IN 5 16 COURT PROCEEDINGS PENALTY. 5 17 1. In every criminal proceeding brought pursuant to this 5 18 chapter, the court proceedings shall be conducted in a manner 5 19 which protects the confidentiality of the woman, and all court 5 20 documents pertaining to the proceedings shall remain 5 21 confidential and shall be sealed. The court shall direct the 5 22 exclusion of individuals from courtrooms or hearing rooms to 5 23 the extent necessary to safeguard the woman's identity from 5 24 public disclosure. 5 25 2. This section shall not be construed to conceal the 5 26 identity of witnesses from the defendant. 5 27 3. A person who knowingly violates the confidentiality 5 28 requirements of this section relating to court proceedings and 5 29 documents is guilty of a simple misdemeanor. 5 30 Sec. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect October 1, 5 31 2003. 5 32 EXPLANATION 5 33 This bill establishes a new Code chapter 146A, relating to 5 34 informed consent prior to an abortion. 5 35 Code section 146A.1 provides that the chapter shall be 6 1 known and may be cited as the "Woman's Right to Know Act". 6 2 Code section 146A.2 provides definitions necessary to the 6 3 chapter. 6 4 Code section 146A.3 specifies the required informed consent 6 5 provisions, including provision of certain information to a 6 6 woman by the physician or an agent of the physician, required 6 7 certification by the woman of provision to the woman of the 6 8 required information, and receipt of the certification by the 6 9 physician prior to the performance of an abortion. The bill 6 10 requires the Iowa department of public health to publish 6 11 information relating to options for managing a pregnancy by 6 12 October 1, 2003. The bill provides that the department may 6 13 establish and maintain an internet site to provide the 6 14 information. 6 15 Code section 146A.4 provides for alternatives to providing 6 16 informed consent as required by the chapter in the case of a 6 17 medical emergency. 6 18 Code section 146A.5 provides criminal penalties. The bill 6 19 establishes a criminal penalty of a simple misdemeanor for a 6 20 person who knowingly or recklessly performs or attempts to 6 21 perform an abortion in violation of the chapter. The bill 6 22 prohibits the assessment of a criminal penalty against a woman 6 23 upon whom an abortion is performed or attempted to be 6 24 performed. The bill also prohibits the assessment of a 6 25 criminal penalty against a woman for failure to comply with 6 26 certification requirements if the department has not made the 6 27 printed materials available as required. 6 28 Code section 146A.6 provides for protection of privacy in 6 29 court proceedings relating to an action under the chapter. 6 30 The bill takes effect October 1, 2003. 6 31 LSB 2053XC 80 6 32 pf/cl/14
Text: SSB01054 Text: SSB01056 Text: SSB01000 - SSB01099 Text: SSB Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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