H-3969.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 2678

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1996 Regular Session

By Representatives Sherstad, Koster, Stevens, Sheahan, McMahan, Sterk, Hargrove, Lambert, Backlund, Mulliken and Boldt

Read first time 01/17/96.  Referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

Limiting where abortions may be performed and collecting data regarding abortions.

     AN ACT Relating to limiting where abortions may be performed and collecting data regarding such abortions; adding new sections to chapter 9.02 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 9.02 RCW to read as follows:

     An abortion may be performed lawfully only in a hospital accredited by the joint commission on accreditation of hospitals, or at a medical facility approved for that purpose by the state board of health that  meets the standards prescribed by regulations issued for an ambulatory surgical center for the safe and adequate care and treatment of patients.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 9.02 RCW to read as follows:

     To develop statistical data relating to abortion, a report on a form produced by the department of health shall be certified and filed with the department by the physician who performed the abortion no later than ten days following the day on which the abortion was performed.

     The report shall indicate the type of abortion performed, who performed the abortion, the hospital or medical facility where the abortion occurred, the age of the patient and the unborn child, the reason for the abortion, any medical complications which may have occurred, and whether public funds were used, in whole or in part, to pay for the abortion.

     The report forms shall not identify a patient by name but by an individual number to be noted in the patient's permanent record in the possession of the physician.

     The department shall report to the legislature no later than December 31 of each year all statistical data gathered under this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, morals, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.

                                    --- END ---