Bill Description

AN ACT relating to abortions and environmental quality; specifying requirements for the provision of chemical abortions; specifying criminal and civil penalties and liability; specifying exceptions to criminal liability; specifying requirements for manufacturers of chemical abortion drugs; specifying environmental and disposal requirements for abortion drugs; specifying duties of the department of environmental quality; specifying applicability; providing for the conflict of laws; providing definitions; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an effective date.

Notes

HB159 will establish important requirements for when a health care provider provides or attempts to provide a chemical abortion.  Specifically the bill says that no health care provider shall knowingly provide or attempt to provide a chemical abortion without completing all of the following:

- Physically examining the patient

- Being physically present with the patient at a hospital or the health care provider's facility when the woman ingests the first abortion drug or drugs necessary for a chemical abortion

- Scheduling a follow‑up visit for the patient that occurs not later than seven (7) days after the administration or use of the abortion drug in order to assess the patient's condition;

Providing a catch kit and medical waste bag to the patient, including instructions for the patient on how to use the catch kit and to bring the catch kit and medical waste bag to the health care provider for proper disposal.

HB159 also attempts to mitigate some of the dangerous effects abortion drugs are having on the ecosystem when introduced into wastewater systems.  Specifically this bill ads provisions stating no abortion drug should enter wastewater or any public water supply, community water system or the waters of the state.  Furthermore the manufacturer or manufacturers of any abortion drug shall be responsible for ensuring proper disposal of discarded abortion drugs and for mitigating and remediating any environmental effects of abortion drugs, including endocrine‑disrupting chemical byproducts of abortion drugs, that may enter any disposal system, sewerage system, public water supply, community water system or the waters of the state as a result of the disposal of tainted human remains from at‑home abortions.