BILL REQ. #:  S-0405.1 

Read first time 02/08/2005.   Referred to Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

     AN ACT Relating to requiring notification of breast cancer risks related to abortion; adding new sections to chapter 9.02 RCW; providing expiration dates; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that there is a serious problem of increasing incidents of breast cancer in the United States; and that virtually every known risk factor for breast cancer involves elevated levels of estrogen.
     (2) The legislature further finds that the first trimester of pregnancy is a time of very high estrogen concentrations in a woman's body, that abortion terminates pregnancy in an artificial manner, that abortion before the first live birth has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in over twenty published articles in reputable journals, and that no cancer expert has denied that abortion may cause breast cancer.
     (3) This section expires January 1, 2011.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The secretary of health shall hold hearings to compile and summarize research linking abortion to breast cancer. This research shall be updated annually until 2010.
     (2) This section expires January 1, 2011.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   It is unlawful to perform an abortion on a woman without advising her of research linking abortion to breast cancer. The department of health summary of research under section 2 of this act shall be presumed to be sufficient information about this research.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A minor cannot give informed consent to a substantial cancer risk.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   It is unlawful for a person to perform an abortion unless that person has sufficient malpractice insurance to cover potential liability for reproductive cancers.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   Sections 1 through 5 of this act are each added to chapter 9.02 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   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 takes effect immediately.