SB 450 - Under this act, no physician shall perform or induce an abortion on a pregnant woman without first performing a heartbeat detection test on the unborn child. A physician shall not perform or induce an abortion if a heartbeat of the unborn child is detected and shall inform the woman, in writing, that such abortion cannot be performed or induced. If the heartbeat has been detected, the physician shall offer the woman the opportunity to hear the unborn child's heartbeat. If more than 96 hours has passed since the heartbeat detection test was performed, the physician shall perform a new test prior to an abortion. In cases of medical emergency, the physician performing or inducing the abortion shall utilize the method or technique most likely to preserve the life and health of the unborn child and document such methods and reasoning in writing. The physician shall record the estimated gestational age of the unborn child as well as the time, date, method, and results of the heartbeat detection test in the woman's medical record and in the abortion report submitted to the Department of Health and Senior Services.
Any physician who fails to perform a heartbeat detection test prior to the performance or inducement of an abortion shall be guilty of a Class B felony, have his or her medical license rejected, revoked, or suspended for 6 months, and be assessed a $1,000,000 fine. Any physician who performs or induces an abortion following the detection of a heartbeat of the unborn child shall be guilty of a Class B felony, have his or her license revoked and any future license application denied, and be assessed a $1,000,000 fine. No woman upon whom an abortion was performed or induced in violation of this act shall be prosecuted for a conspiracy to violate the provisions of this act.
Additionally, current law requires physicians performing or inducing an abortion to present the woman with printed materials containing color photographs or images of the developing unborn child at various stages of gestation. This act removes the option to use images of the unborn child.
This act is similar to the introduced HB 126 (2019), SB 139 (2019), SB 714 (2018), and SB 408 (2017).
SARAH HASKINS