BILL REQ. #: S-1853.2
State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2003 Regular Session |
Read first time 03/03/2003. Referred to Committee on Children & Family Services & Corrections.
AN ACT Relating to respecting and protecting the unborn; amending RCW 70.58.150, 68.50.610, 68.04.020, 68.50.110, 9.02.110, and 9.02.170; adding new sections to chapter 9.02 RCW; creating a new section; prescribing penalties; providing expiration dates; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
PART 1 PROHIBITING PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTIONS
PART 2 PROHIBITING THE SALE, DONATION, OR USE OF ABORTED FETAL BODY
PARTS
PART 3 PROHIBITING ABORTION NOT BASED ON FACTORS DELINEATED IN ROE AND
ITS PROGENY
PART 4 REQUIRING STANDARDS OF CARE FOR ABORTION CLINICS
PART 5 ENSURING HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND INSURER RIGHT OF CONSCIENCE
PART 6 PROHIBITING NONPHYSICIANS FROM PERFORMING ABORTIONS
PART 7 REQUIRING PARENTAL CONSENT, INFORMED CONSENT, AND A TWENTY-FOUR
HOUR WAITING PERIOD
PART 8 REQUIRING NOTIFICATION OF BREAST CANCER RISKS RELATED TO
ABORTION
PART 9 REQUIRING ABORTION RELATED DATA COLLECTION
PART 10 PROHIBITING PUBLIC FUNDING OF ABORTION
PART 11 ELIMINATING PAIN FELT BY UNBORN CHILDREN RESULTING FROM
ABORTION
PART 12 MISCELLANEOUS
NEW SECTION. Sec. 101 The legislature finds and declares the
following:
(1) A moral, medical, and ethical consensus exists that the
practice of performing a partial birth abortion, an abortion in which
a physician delivers an unborn child's body until only the head remains
inside the womb, punctures the back of the child's skull with a sharp
instrument, and sucks the child's brains out before completing delivery
of the dead infant, is a gruesome and inhumane procedure that is never
medically necessary and should be prohibited.
(2) Rather than being an abortion procedure that is embraced by the
medical community, particularly among physicians who routinely perform
other abortion procedures, partial birth abortion remains a disfavored
procedure that is not only unnecessary to preserve the health of the
mother, but in fact poses serious risks to the long-term health of
women and in some circumstances, their lives. As a result, at least
twenty-seven states banned the procedure as did the United States
Congress which voted to ban the procedure during the 104th, 105th, and
106th Congresses.
(3) In Stenberg v. Carhart, 530 U.S. 914, 932 (2000), the United
States supreme court opined "that significant medical authority
supports the proposition that in some circumstances, [partial birth
abortion] would be the safest procedure" for pregnant women who wish to
undergo an abortion. Thus, the court struck down the state of
Nebraska's ban on partial birth abortion procedures, concluding that it
placed an "undue burden" on women seeking abortions because it failed
to include an exception for partial birth abortions deemed necessary to
preserve the "health" of the mother.
(4) In reaching this conclusion, the court deferred to the federal
district court's factual findings that the partial birth abortion
procedure was statistically and medically as safe as, and in many
circumstances safer than, alternative abortion procedures.
(5) However, the great weight of evidence presented at the Stenberg
trial and other trials challenging partial birth abortion bans, as well
as at extensive congressional hearings, demonstrates that a partial
birth abortion is never necessary to preserve the health of a woman,
poses significant health risks to a woman upon whom the procedure is
performed, and is outside of the standard of medical care.
(6) Despite the dearth of evidence in the Stenberg trial court
record supporting the district court's findings, the United States
court of appeals for the eighth circuit and the supreme court refused
to set aside the district court's factual findings because, under the
applicable standard of appellate review, they were not "clearly
erroneous." A finding of fact is clearly erroneous "when although
there is evidence to support it, the reviewing court on the entire
evidence is left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake
has been committed." Anderson v. City of Bessemer City, North
Carolina, 470 U.S. 564, 573 (1985). Under this standard, "if the
district court's account of the evidence is plausible in light of the
record viewed in its entirety, the court of appeals may not reverse it
even though convinced that had it been sitting as the trier of fact, it
would have weighed the evidence differently." Id. at 574.
(7) Thus, in Stenberg, the United States supreme court was required
to accept the very questionable findings issued by the district court
judge; the effect of which was to render null and void the reasoned
factual findings and policy determinations of the United States
congress and at least twenty-seven state legislatures.
(8) However, under well-settled supreme court jurisprudence, the
United States congress is not bound to accept the same factual findings
that the supreme court was bound to accept in Stenberg under the
"clearly erroneous" standard. Rather, the United States congress is
entitled to reach its own factual findings, findings that the supreme
court accords great deference, and to enact legislation based upon
these findings so long as it seeks to pursue a legitimate interest that
is within the scope of the Constitution, and draws reasonable
inferences based upon substantial evidence.
(9) In Katzenbach v. Morgan, 384 U.S. 641 (1966), the supreme court
articulated its highly deferential review of congressional factual
findings when it addressed the constitutionality of section 4(e) of the
voting rights act of 1965. Regarding congress's factual determination
that section 4(e) would assist the Puerto Rican community in "gaining
nondiscriminatory treatment in public services," the court stated that
"[i]t was for congress, as the branch that made this judgment, to
assess and weigh the various conflicting considerations.... It is not
for us to review the congressional resolution of these factors. It is
enough that we be able to perceive a basis upon which the congress
might resolve the conflict as it did. There plainly was such a basis
to support section 4(e) in the application in question in this case."
Id. at 653.
(10) Katzenbach's highly deferential review of congress's factual
conclusions was relied upon by the United States district court for the
District of Columbia when it upheld the bail-out provisions of the
voting rights act of 1965, (42 U.S.C. 1973c), stating that
"congressional fact finding, to which we are inclined to pay great
deference, strengthens the inference that, in those jurisdictions
covered by the act, state actions discriminatory in effect are
discriminatory in purpose." City of Rome, Georgia v. U.S., 472 F.
Supp. 221 (D.D. Col. 1979) aff'd City of Rome, Georgia v. U.S., 446
U.S. 156 (1980).
(11) The court continued its practice of deferring to congressional
factual findings in reviewing the constitutionality of the must-carry
provisions of the cable television consumer protection and competition
act of 1992. See Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. v. Federal
Communications Commission, 512 U.S. 622 (1994) (Turner I) and Turner
Broadcasting System, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission, 520
U.S. 180 (1997) (Turner II). At issue in the Turner cases was
congress's legislative finding that, absent mandatory carriage rules,
the continued viability of local broadcast television would be
"seriously jeopardized." The Turner I court recognized that as an
institution, "congress is far better equipped than the judiciary to
'amass and evaluate the vast amounts of data' bearing upon an issue as
complex and dynamic as that presented here." 512 U.S. at 665-66.
Although the court recognized that "the deference afforded to
legislative findings does not foreclose our independent judgment of the
facts bearing on an issue of constitutional law," its "obligation to
exercise independent judgment when first amendment rights are
implicated is not a license to reweigh the evidence de novo, or to
replace congress's factual predictions with our own. Rather, it is to
assure that, in formulating its judgments, congress has drawn
reasonable inferences based on substantial evidence." Id. at 666.
(12) Three years later in Turner II, the court upheld the "must-carry" provisions based upon congress's findings, stating the court's
"sole obligation" is "to assure that, in formulating its judgments,
congress has drawn reasonable inferences based on substantial
evidence." 520 U.S. at 195. Citing its ruling in Turner I, the court
reiterated that "[w]e owe congress's findings deference in part because
the institution is far better equipped than the judiciary to amass and
evaluate the vast amounts of data bearing upon legislative questions,"
id. at 195, and added that it "owe[d] congress's findings an additional
measure of deference out of respect for its authority to exercise the
legislative power." Id. at 196.
(13) There exists substantial record evidence upon which congress
has reached its conclusion that a ban on partial birth abortion is not
required to contain a "health" exception, because the facts indicate
that a partial birth abortion is never necessary to preserve the health
of a woman, poses serious risks to a woman's health, and lies outside
the standard of medical care. Congress was informed by extensive
hearings held during the 104th and 105th congresses and passed a ban on
partial birth abortion in the 104th, 105th, and 106th congresses.
These findings reflect the very informed judgment of the congress that
a partial birth abortion is never necessary to preserve the health of
a woman, poses serious risks to a woman's health, and lies outside the
standard of medical care, and should, therefore, be banned.
(14) Pursuant to the testimony received during extensive
legislative hearings during the 104th and 105th congresses, the
congress found that:
(a) Partial birth abortion poses serious risks to the health of a
woman undergoing the procedure. Those risks include, among other
things: An increase in a woman's risk of suffering from cervical
incompetence, a result of cervical dilation making it difficult or
impossible for a woman to successfully carry a subsequent pregnancy to
term; an increased risk of uterine rupture, abruption, amniotic fluid
embolus, and trauma to the uterus as a result of converting the child
to a footling breech position, a procedure which, according to a
leading obstetrics textbook, "there are very few, if any, indications
for... other than for delivery of a second twin"; and a risk of
lacerations and secondary hemorrhaging due to the doctor blindly
forcing a sharp instrument into the base of the unborn child's skull
while he or she is lodged in the birth canal, an act which could result
in severe bleeding, brings with it the threat of shock, and could
ultimately result in maternal death.
(b) There is no credible medical evidence that partial birth
abortions are safe or are safer than other abortion procedures. No
controlled studies of partial birth abortions have been conducted nor
have any comparative studies been conducted to demonstrate its safety
and efficacy compared to other abortion methods. Furthermore, there
have been no articles published in peer-reviewed journals that
establish that partial birth abortions are superior in any way to
established abortion procedures. Indeed, unlike other more commonly
used abortion procedures, there are currently no medical schools that
provide instruction on abortions that include the instruction in
partial birth abortions in their curriculum.
(c) A prominent medical association has concluded that partial
birth abortion is "not an accepted medical practice," that it has
"never been subject to even a minimal amount of the normal medical
practice development," that "the relative advantages and disadvantages
of the procedure in specific circumstances remain unknown," and that
"there is no consensus among obstetricians about its use." The
association has further noted that partial birth abortion is broadly
disfavored by both medical experts and the public, is "ethically
wrong," and "is never the only appropriate procedure."
(d) Neither the plaintiff in Stenberg v. Carhart, nor the experts
who testified on his behalf, have identified a single circumstance
during which a partial birth abortion was necessary to preserve the
health of a woman.
(e) The physician credited with developing the partial birth
abortion procedure has testified that he has never encountered a
situation where a partial birth abortion was medically necessary to
achieve the desired outcome and, thus, is never medically necessary to
preserve the health of a woman.
(f) A ban on the partial birth abortion procedure will therefore
advance the health interests of pregnant women seeking to terminate a
pregnancy.
(g) In light of this overwhelming evidence, congress and the states
have a compelling interest in prohibiting partial birth abortions. In
addition to promoting maternal health, such a prohibition will draw a
bright line that clearly distinguishes abortion and infanticide, that
preserves the integrity of the medical profession, and promotes respect
for human life.
(h) Based upon Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973) and Planned
Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992), a governmental interest in
protecting the life of a child during the delivery process arises by
virtue of the fact that during a partial birth abortion, labor is
induced and the birth process has begun. This distinction was
recognized in Roe when the court noted, without comment, that the Texas
parturition statute, which prohibited one from killing a child "in a
state of being born and before actual birth," was not under attack.
This interest becomes compelling as the child emerges from the maternal
body. A child that is completely born is a full, legal person entitled
to constitutional protections afforded a "person" under the United
States constitution. Partial birth abortions involve the killing of a
child that is in the process, in fact mere inches away from, becoming
a "person." Thus, the government has a heightened interest in
protecting the life of the partially born child.
(i) This, too, has not gone unnoticed in the medical community,
where a prominent medical association has recognized that partial birth
abortions are "ethically different from other destructive abortion
techniques because the fetus, normally twenty weeks or longer in
gestation, is killed outside of the womb." According to this medical
association, the "partial birth" gives the fetus an autonomy which
separates it from the right of the woman to choose treatments for her
own body.
(j) Partial birth abortion also confuses the medical, legal, and
ethical duties of physicians to preserve and promote life, as the
physician acts directly against the physical life of a child, whom he
or she had just delivered, all but the head, out of the womb, in order
to end that life. Partial birth abortion thus appropriates the
terminology and techniques used by obstetricians in the delivery of
living children, obstetricians who preserve and protect the life of the
mother and the child, and instead uses those techniques to end the life
of the partially born child.
(k) Thus, by aborting a child in the manner that purposefully seeks
to kill the child after he or she has begun the process of birth,
partial birth abortion undermines the public's perception of the
appropriate role of a physician during the delivery process, and
perverts a process during which life is brought into the world, in
order to destroy a partially born child.
(l) The gruesome and inhumane nature of the partial birth abortion
procedure and its disturbing similarity to the killing of a newborn
infant promotes a complete disregard for infant human life that can
only be countered by a prohibition of the procedure.
(m) The vast majority of babies killed during partial birth
abortions are alive until the end of the procedure. It is a medical
fact, however, that unborn infants at this stage can feel pain when
subjected to painful stimuli and that their perception of this pain is
even more intense than that of newborn infants and older children when
subjected to the same stimuli. Thus, during a partial birth abortion
procedure, the child will fully experience the pain associated with
piercing his or her skull and sucking out his or her brain.
(n) Implicitly approving such a brutal and inhumane procedure by
choosing not to prohibit it will further coarsen society to the
humanity of not only newborns, but all vulnerable and innocent human
life, making it increasingly difficult to protect such life. Thus,
congress has a compelling interest in acting, indeed it must act, to
prohibit this inhumane procedure.
(o) For these reasons, the congress found that partial birth
abortion is never medically indicated to preserve the health of the
mother; is in fact unrecognized as a valid abortion procedure by the
mainstream medical community; poses additional health risks to the
mother; blurs the line between abortion and infanticide in the killing
of a partially born child just inches from birth; and confuses the role
of the physician in childbirth and should, therefore, be banned.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 102 (1) Any physician who, in or affecting
interstate or foreign commerce, knowingly performs a partial birth
abortion and thereby kills a human fetus shall be fined under this act
or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. This subsection does
not apply to a partial birth abortion that is necessary to save the
life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder,
physical illness, or physical injury, including a life-endangering
physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself.
(2) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this
section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(a) "Partial birth abortion" means an abortion in which:
(i) The person performing the abortion deliberately and
intentionally vaginally delivers a living fetus until, in the case of
a head-first presentation, the entire fetal head is outside the body of
the mother, or, in the case of breech presentation, any part of the
fetal trunk past the navel is outside the body of the mother for the
purpose of performing an overt act that the person knows will kill the
partially delivered living fetus; and
(ii) Performs the overt act, other than completion of delivery,
that kills the partially delivered living fetus.
(b) "Physician" means a doctor of medicine or osteopathy legally
authorized to practice medicine and surgery by the state in which the
doctor performs such activity, or any other individual legally
authorized by the state to perform abortions. However, any individual
who is not a physician or not otherwise legally authorized by the state
to perform abortions, but who nevertheless directly performs a partial
birth abortion, is subject to the provisions of this section.
(3)(a) The father, if married to the mother at the time she
receives a partial birth abortion procedure, and if the mother has not
attained the age of eighteen years at the time of the abortion, the
maternal grandparents of the fetus, may in a civil action obtain
appropriate relief, unless the pregnancy resulted from the plaintiff's
criminal conduct or the plaintiff consented to the abortion.
(b) Such relief shall include:
(i) Money damages for all injuries, psychological and physical,
occasioned by the violation of this section; and
(ii) Statutory damages equal to three times the cost of the partial
birth abortion.
(4)(a) A defendant accused of an offense under this section may
seek a hearing before the board of health on whether the physician's
conduct was necessary to save the life of the mother whose life was
endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical
injury, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or
arising from the pregnancy itself.
(b) The findings on that issue are admissible on that issue at the
trial of the defendant. Upon a motion of the defendant, the court
shall delay the beginning of the trial for not more than thirty days to
permit such a hearing to take place.
(5) A woman upon whom a partial birth abortion is performed may not
be prosecuted under this section, for a conspiracy to violate this
section.
Sec. 201 RCW 70.58.150 and 1961 ex.s. c 5 s 11 are each amended
to read as follows:
A fetal death means any product of conception that shows no
evidence of life after complete expulsion or extraction from ((its))
his or her mother by or as the result of any means, including the
application of any abortion procedure or technique. The words
"evidence of life" include breathing, beating of the heart, pulsation
of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 202 The body, including the body parts, body
organs, body tissue, and body fluids, of a fetus whose death is the
result of the application of any abortion procedure or technique may
not be sold, donated, or otherwise transferred, with or without
valuable consideration, for any use, but shall be disposed of as human
remains by burial or cremation in accordance with the requirements of
this chapter and chapter 70.58 RCW.
Sec. 203 RCW 68.50.610 and 1993 c 228 s 10 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) A person may not knowingly, for valuable consideration,
purchase or sell a part for transplantation or therapy, if removal of
the part is intended to occur after the death of the decedent.
(2) Valuable consideration does not include reasonable payment for
the removal, processing, disposal, preservation, quality control,
storage, transportation, or implantation of a part.
(3) The donation of any part of the body, including the body parts,
body organs, body tissue, and body fluids, of a fetus whose death is
the result of the application of any abortion procedure or technique is
prohibited under any circumstance, with or without valuable
consideration, for purposes of making an anatomical gift.
(4) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and
upon conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand
dollars or imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both.
Sec. 204 RCW 68.04.020 and 1977 c 47 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
"Human remains" or "remains" means the body of ((a)) any deceased
person, and includes the body in any stage of decomposition except
cremated remains. "Human remains" or "remains" includes the body of a
dead fetus.
Sec. 205 RCW 68.50.110 and 1987 c 331 s 60 are each amended to
read as follows:
Except for pathological waste as defined in RCW 70.95K.010, in
cases of dissection provided for in RCW 68.50.070 and 68.50.100, and
where ((a dead body)) human remains shall rightfully be carried through
or removed from the state for the purpose of lawful burial or cremation
elsewhere, ((every dead body of a human being lying)) all human remains
within this state, ((and)) including the remains of any dissected body,
after dissection, shall be decently buried, or cremated within a
reasonable time after death.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 206 For purposes of RCW 70.58.150, 68.50.610,
and sections 202 and 207 of this act, "application of any abortion
technique or procedure" means the exercise or use of any force,
instrument, or drug, or other means, device, or substance, intended to
cause the termination of a pregnancy resulting in the death of a fetus.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 207 (1) Section 202 of this act is not
intended, and may not be construed, to prevent a coroner, medical
examiner, physician of the mother of the fetus, or prosecuting attorney
from using that part of the body of a fetus whose death is the result
of the application of any abortion procedure or technique that is
necessary for the sole and exclusive purpose of diagnosing or
determining: (a) A disease or condition or cause of death of the
mother of the fetus if the abortion was performed because of such
disease or condition of the mother of the fetus, or (b) cause of death
of the fetus, if in either case no other reasonable means of making the
diagnosis or determination is available without such use, and after the
diagnosis or determination all that part of the body of the fetus used
to make the diagnosis or determination that remains is disposed of as
required in section 202 of this act.
(2) Section 202 of this act and RCW 68.50.610(3) are not intended,
and may not be construed, to apply to the donation for medical research
or use of any part of the body of a fetus whose death is the result of
a miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, sickness, disease,
accident, or crime caused to the fetus or the mother by a third party
without the knowledge and consent of the mother. However, the donation
may only be made if a parent or guardian knows of and approves the
donation for such medical research or use.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 301 A pregnancy may not be terminated solely
because of the race, color, national origin, sex, or age of a fetus, or
because of the race, color, national origin, creed, marital status,
age, employment status, or financial condition of a parent of the
fetus.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 401 The legislature finds that:
(1) Many abortions are performed in clinics devoted solely to
providing abortions and family planning services. Most women who seek
abortions at these facilities do not have any relationship with the
physician who performs the abortion, before or after the procedure.
They do not return to the facility for postsurgical care. In most
instances, the woman's only actual contact with the physician occurs
simultaneously with the abortion procedure, with little opportunity to
ask questions about the procedure, potential complications, and proper
follow-up care.
(2) The supreme court in H.L. v. Matheson, 450 U.S. 398, 411 (1981)
stated that "The medical, emotional, and psychological consequences of
an abortion are serious and can be lasting...."
(3) The supreme court in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern
Pennsylvania v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 852 (1992) stated that "[T]he
abortion decision... is more than a philosophic exercise. Abortion is
a unique act. It is an act fraught with consequences for others: for
the woman who must live with the implications of her decision; for the
spouse, family, and society which must confront the knowledge that
these procedures exist, procedures some deem nothing short of an act of
violence against innocent human life; and, depending on one's beliefs,
for the life or potential life that is aborted."
(4) Abortion is an invasive, surgical procedure that can lead to
numerous and serious medical complications. Potential complications
for first trimester abortions include, among others, bleeding,
hemorrhage, infection, uterine perforation, blood clots, cervical
tears, incomplete abortion (retained tissue), failure to actually
terminate the pregnancy, free fluid in the abdomen, acute abdomen,
missed ectopic pregnancies, cardiac arrest, sepsis, respiratory arrest,
reactions to anesthesia, fertility problems, emotional problems, and
even death.
(5) The risks for second trimester abortions are greater than for
first trimester abortions. The risk of hemorrhage, in particular, is
greater, and the resultant complications may require a hysterectomy,
other reparative surgery, or a blood transfusion.
(6) The state of Washington has a legitimate concern for the
public's health and safety.
(7) The state of Washington "has legitimate interests from the
outset of pregnancy in protecting the health of women." Planned
Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 847
(1992).
(8) More specifically, the state of Washington "has a legitimate
concern with the health of women who undergo abortions." Akron v.
Akron Ctr. for Reproductive Health, Inc., 462 U.S. 416, 428-29 (1983).
(9) The state of Washington has "a legitimate interest in seeing to
it that abortion, like any other medical procedure, is performed under
circumstances that ensure maximum safety for the patient." Roe v.
Wade, 410 U.S. 113, 150 (1973).
(10) Since the supreme court's decision in Roe v. Wade, courts have
recognized that for the purposes of regulation, abortion services are
rationally distinct from other routine medical services, because of the
"particular gravitas of the moral, psychological, and familial aspects
of the abortion decision." Greenville Women's Clinic v. Bryant, 222
F.3d 157, 173 (4th Cir. 2000), cert. denied, 531 U.S. 1191 (2001).
(11) In adopting an array of regulations that treat the often
relatively simple medical procedures of abortion more seriously than
other medical procedures, the state of Washington recognizes the
importance of the abortion practice while yet permitting it to
continue, as protected by the supreme court's cases on the subject.
Greenville Women's Clinic v. Bryant, 222 F.3d 157, 175 (4th Cir. 2000),
cert. denied, 531 U.S. 1191 (2001).
(12) Therefore, the purpose of sections 402 through 410 of this act
is to:
(a) Regulate abortion consistent with and to the extent permitted
by the decisions of the supreme court of the United States; and
(b) Provide for the protection of public health through the
development, establishment, and enforcement of standards of care of
individuals in abortion clinics.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 402 The definitions in this section apply
throughout this section and sections 403 through 410 of this act unless
the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Abortion" means the act of using or prescribing any
instrument, machine, or device with the intent to terminate a woman's
pregnancy for reasons other than to increase the probability of a live
birth, to preserve the life or health of the child after live birth, to
terminate an ectopic pregnancy, or to remove a dead fetus. "Abortion"
does not include birth control devices or oral contraceptives.
(2) "Abortion clinic" means a facility, other than an accredited
hospital, in which five or more first trimester abortions in any month
or any second or third trimester abortions are performed.
(3) "Conception" and "fertilization" each mean the fusion of the
human spermatozoon with a human ovum.
(4) "Department" means the department of health.
(5) "Gestation" means the time that has elapsed since the first day
of the woman's last menstrual period.
(6) "Licensee" means an individual, a partnership, an association,
a limited liability company, or a corporation authorized by the
department to operate an abortion clinic.
(7) "Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine in the
state of Washington. This term includes medical doctors and doctors of
osteopathy.
(8) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 403 (1) Beginning on the effective date of
this act, all abortion clinics shall be licensed by the department.
Any existing abortion clinic shall make application for license within
ninety days.
(2) An application for a license shall be made to the department on
forms provided by it and shall contain such information as the
department reasonably requires, which may include affirmative evidence
of ability to comply with department rules. Additional information
required by the department shall be supplied on supplemental forms as
needed.
(3) Following receipt of an application for license, the department
shall issue a license if the applicant and the facility meet the
requirements established by this section and sections 404 through 407
of this act and the rules adopted under this section and sections 404
through 407 of this act, for one year.
(4) A temporary or provisional license may be issued to an abortion
clinic for six months if sufficient compliance with rules require an
extension of time and a disapproval has not been received from any
other state or local agency otherwise authorized to inspect such
facilities. The failure to comply must not be detrimental to the
health and safety of the public.
(5) A license shall apply only to the location and licensee stated
on the application, and such license, once issued, shall not be
transferable from one place to another or from one person to another.
If the location of the facility is changed, the license shall be
automatically revoked. A new application form shall be completed prior
to all license renewals.
(6) An application for a license or renewal to operate an abortion
clinic shall be accompanied by a fee. The fees shall be paid into the
general fund.
(7) Each license shall be for a period of one year from the date of
issuance unless sooner revoked, shall be on a form prescribed by the
department, and may be renewed from year to year upon application and
payment of the license fee as in the case of procurement of the
original license.
(8) The department may deny, suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew a
license in any case in which it finds that there has been a substantial
failure of the applicant or licensee to comply with the requirements of
this section and sections 404 through 407 of this act or the minimum
standards, or administrative rules adopted by the department pursuant
to this section and sections 404 through 407 of this act. In such
case, the department shall furnish the person, applicant, or licensee
thirty days' notice specifying reasons for the action.
(9) Any person, applicant, or licensee who feels aggrieved by the
action of the department in denying, suspending, revoking, or refusing
to renew a license may appeal the department's action in accordance
with chapter 34.05 RCW.
(10) Any person, applicant, or licensee aggrieved by the action of
the appellate board may, within thirty days after notification of such
action, appeal suspensively to the superior court. A record of all
proceedings before the appellate board shall be made and kept on file
with the board. The board shall transmit a certified copy of the
record to the superior court. The superior court shall try the appeal
de novo.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 404 (1) The department shall establish
policies and procedures for conducting prelicensure and relicensure
inspections of abortion clinics. Before issuing or reissuing a
license, the department shall conduct an on-site inspection to ensure
compliance with the rules adopted by the department under sections 403
through 407 of this act.
(2) The department shall also establish policies and procedures for
conducting inspections and investigations pursuant to complaints
received by the department and made against any abortion clinic. The
department shall receive, record, and dispose of complaints in
accordance with the established policies and procedures.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 405 The department shall adopt rules for the
licensing and operation of abortion clinics.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 406 (1) The department shall adopt rules for
an abortion clinic's physical facilities. At a minimum these rules
shall prescribe standards for:
(a) Adequate private space that is specifically designated for
interviewing, counseling, and medical evaluations;
(b) Dressing rooms for staff and patients;
(c) Appropriate lavatory areas;
(d) Areas for preprocedure hand washing;
(e) Private procedure rooms;
(f) Adequate lighting and ventilation for abortion procedures;
(g) Surgical or gynecologic examination tables and other fixed
equipment;
(h) Postprocedure recovery rooms that are supervised, staffed, and
equipped to meet the patients' needs;
(i) Emergency exits to accommodate a stretcher or gurney;
(j) Areas for cleaning and sterilizing instruments;
(k) Adequate areas for the secure storage of medical records and
necessary equipment and supplies; and
(l) The display in the abortion clinic, in a place that is
conspicuous to all patients, of the clinic's current license issued by
the department.
(2) The department shall adopt rules to prescribe abortion clinic
supplies and equipment standards, including supplies and equipment that
are required to be immediately available for use or in an emergency.
At a minimum these rules shall:
(a) Prescribe required equipment and supplies, including
medications, required for the conduct, in an appropriate fashion, of
any abortion procedure that the medical staff of the clinic anticipates
performing and for monitoring the progress of each patient throughout
the procedure and recovery period;
(b) Require that the number or amount of equipment and supplies at
the clinic is adequate at all times to assure sufficient quantities of
clean and sterilized durable equipment and supplies to meet the needs
of each patient;
(c) Prescribe required equipment, supplies, and medications that
shall be available and ready for immediate use in an emergency and
requirements for written protocols and procedures to be followed by
staff in an emergency, such as the loss of electrical power;
(d) Prescribe required equipment and supplies for required
laboratory tests and requirements for protocols to calibrate and
maintain laboratory equipment at the abortion clinic or as operated by
clinic staff;
(e) Require ultrasound equipment in those facilities that provide
abortions after twelve weeks' gestation; and
(f) Require that all equipment is safe for the patient and the
staff, meets applicable federal standards, and is checked annually to
ensure safety and appropriate calibration.
(3) The department shall adopt rules relating to abortion clinic
personnel. At a minimum these rules shall require that:
(a) The abortion clinic designate a medical director of the
abortion clinic who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery in the
state of Washington;
(b) Physicians performing surgery who are licensed to practice
medicine and surgery in the state of Washington, demonstrate competence
in the procedure involved, and are acceptable to the medical director
of the abortion clinic;
(c) A physician with admitting privileges at an accredited hospital
in this state is available;
(d) If a physician is not present, a registered nurse, nurse
practitioner, licensed practical nurse, or physician's assistant is
present and remains at the clinic when abortions are performed to
provide postoperative monitoring and care until each patient who had an
abortion that day is discharged;
(e) Surgical assistants receive training in counseling, patient
advocacy, and the specific responsibilities of the services the
surgical assistants provide; and
(f) Volunteers receive training in the specific responsibilities of
the services the volunteers provide, including counseling and patient
advocacy as provided in the rules adopted by the department for
different types of volunteers based on their responsibilities.
(4) The department shall adopt rules relating to the medical
screening and evaluation of each abortion clinic patient. At a minimum
these rules shall require:
(a) A medical history including the following:
(i) Reported allergies to medications, antiseptic solutions, or
latex;
(ii) Obstetric and gynecologic history; and
(iii) Past surgeries;
(b) A physical examination including a bimanual examination
estimating uterine size and palpation of the adnexa;
(c) The appropriate laboratory tests including:
(i) For an abortion in which an ultrasound examination is not
performed before the abortion procedure, urine or blood tests for
pregnancy performed before the abortion procedure;
(ii) A test for anemia;
(iii) Rh typing, unless reliable written documentation of blood
type is available; and
(iv) Other tests as indicated from the physical examination;
(d) An ultrasound evaluation for all patients who elect to have an
abortion after twelve weeks' gestation. The rules shall require that
if a person who is not a physician performs an ultrasound examination,
that person shall have documented evidence that the person completed a
course in the operation of ultrasound equipment as prescribed in rule.
The physician or other health care professional shall review, at the
request of the patient, the ultrasound evaluation results with the
patient before the abortion procedure is performed, including the
probable gestational age of the fetus; and
(e) That the physician is responsible for estimating the
gestational age of the fetus based on the ultrasound examination and
obstetric standards in keeping with established standards of care
regarding the estimation of fetal age as defined in rule and shall
write the estimate in the patient's medical history. The physician
shall keep original prints of each ultrasound examination of a patient
in the patient's medical history file.
(5) The department shall adopt rules relating to the abortion
procedure. At a minimum these rules shall require:
(a) That medical personnel is available to all patients throughout
the abortion procedure;
(b) Standards for the safe conduct of abortion procedures that
conform to obstetric standards in keeping with established standards of
care regarding the estimation of fetal age as defined in rule;
(c) Appropriate use of local anesthesia, analgesia, and sedation if
ordered by the physician;
(d) The use of appropriate precautions, such as the establishment
of intravenous access at least for patients undergoing second or third
trimester abortions; and
(e) The use of appropriate monitoring of the vital signs and other
defined signs and markers of the patient's status throughout the
abortion procedure and during the recovery period until the patient's
condition is deemed to be stable in the recovery room.
(6) The department shall adopt rules that prescribe minimum
recovery room standards. At a minimum these rules shall require that:
(a) Immediate postprocedure care consists of observation in a
supervised recovery room for as long as the patient's condition
warrants;
(b) The clinic arrange hospitalization if any complication beyond
the management capability of the staff occurs or is suspected;
(c) A licensed health professional who is trained in the management
of the recovery area and is capable of providing basic cardiopulmonary
resuscitation and related emergency procedures remains on the premises
of the abortion clinic until all patients are discharged;
(d) A physician with admitting privileges at an accredited hospital
in this state remains on the premises of the abortion clinic until all
patients are stable and are ready to leave the recovery room and to
facilitate the transfer of emergency cases if hospitalization of the
patient or viable fetus is necessary. A physician shall sign the
discharge order and be readily accessible and available until the last
patient is discharged;
(e) A physician discusses RhO(d) immune globulin with each patient
for whom it is indicated and assures it is offered to the patient in
the immediate postoperative period or that it will be available to her
within seventy-two hours after completion of the abortion procedure.
If the patient refuses, a refusal form approved by the department shall
be signed by the patient and a witness and included in the medical
record;
(f) Written instructions with regard to postabortion coitus, signs
of possible problems, and general aftercare are given to each patient.
Each patient shall have specific instructions regarding access to
medical care for complications, including a telephone number to call
for medical emergencies;
(g) There is a specified minimum length of time that a patient
remains in the recovery room by type of abortion procedure and duration
of gestation;
(h) The physician assures that a licensed health professional from
the abortion clinic makes a good faith effort to contact the patient by
telephone, with the patient's consent, within twenty-four hours after
surgery to assess the patient's recovery; and
(i) Equipment and services are located in the recovery room to
provide appropriate emergency resuscitative and life support procedures
pending the transfer of the patient or viable fetus to the hospital.
(7) The department shall adopt rules that prescribe standards for
follow-up care. At a minimum these rules shall require that:
(a) A postabortion medical visit is offered and, if requested,
scheduled for two to three weeks after the abortion, including a
medical examination and a review of the results of all laboratory
tests; and
(b) A urine pregnancy test is obtained at the time of the follow-up
visit to rule out continuing pregnancy. If a continuing pregnancy is
suspected, the patient shall be evaluated and a physician who performs
abortions shall be consulted.
(8) The department shall adopt rules to prescribe minimum abortion
clinic incident reporting. At a minimum these rules shall require
that:
(a) The abortion clinic records each incident resulting in a
patient's or viable fetus' serious injury occurring at an abortion
clinic and shall report them in writing to the department within ten
days after the incident. For the purposes of this subsection, "serious
injury" means an injury that occurs at an abortion clinic and that
creates a serious risk of substantial impairment of a major body organ;
(b) If a patient's death occurs, other than a fetal death properly
reported pursuant to law, the abortion clinic reports it to the
department by the next department work day; and
(c) Incident reports are filed with the department and appropriate
professional regulatory boards.
(9) The department shall not release personally identifiable
patient or physician information.
(10) The rules adopted by the department under this section do not
limit the ability of a physician or other health professional to advise
a patient on any health issue.
(11) Sections 403 through 407 of this act and the rules adopted
under sections 403 through 407 of this act are in addition to any other
laws and rules that are applicable to facilities defined as abortion
clinics under this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 407 (1) Whoever operates an abortion clinic
without a valid license issued by the department is guilty of a
misdemeanor.
(2) Any person who intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly violates
sections 403 through 407 of this act or any rules adopted under
sections 403 through 407 of this act is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 408 (1) Any violation of sections 403 through
407 of this act or any rules adopted under sections 403 through 407 of
this act may be subject to a civil penalty or fine up to five hundred
dollars imposed by the department.
(2) Each day of violation constitutes a separate violation for
purposes of assessing civil penalties or fines.
(3) In deciding whether and to what extent to impose fines, the
department shall consider the following factors:
(a) Gravity of the violation including the probability that death
or serious physical harm to a patient or individual will result or has
resulted;
(b) Size of the population at risk as a consequence of the
violation;
(c) Severity and scope of the actual or potential harm;
(d) Extent to which the applicable statutes or rules were violated;
(e) Any indications of good faith exercised by the licensee;
(f) The duration, frequency, and relevance of any previous
violations committed by the licensee; and
(g) Financial benefit to the licensee of committing or continuing
the violation.
(4) Both the attorney general and the office of the prosecuting
attorney for the county in which the violation occurred may institute
a legal action to enforce collection of civil penalties or fines.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 409 In addition to any other penalty provided
by law, whenever in the judgment of the secretary, any person has
engaged, or is about to engage, in any acts or practices that
constitute, or will constitute, a violation of sections 403 through 407
of this act, or any rule adopted under sections 403 through 407 of this
act, the secretary shall make application to any court of competent
jurisdiction for an order enjoining such acts and practices, and upon
a showing by the secretary that such person has engaged, or is about to
engage, in any such acts or practices, an injunction, restraining
order, or such other order as may be appropriate shall be granted by
such court without bond.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 410 (1) Nothing in sections 403 through 407 of
this act shall be construed as creating or recognizing a right to
abortion.
(2) It is not the intent of sections 403 through 407 of this act to
make lawful an abortion that is currently unlawful.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 501 The legislature finds and declares that
people and organizations hold different beliefs about whether certain
health care services are morally acceptable. It is the public policy
of the state to respect and protect the right of conscience of all
persons who refuse to obtain, receive, or accept, or who are engaged
in, the delivery of, arrangement for, or payment of health care
services and medical care whether acting individually, corporately, or
in association with other persons; and to prohibit all forms of
discrimination, disqualification, coercion, disability, or imposition
of liability upon such persons or entities by reason of their refusing
to act contrary to their conscience or conscientious convictions in
refusing to obtain, receive, accept, deliver, pay for, or arrange for
the payment of health care services and medical care.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 502 The definitions in this section apply
throughout this section and sections 503 through 518 of this act unless
the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Health care" means any phase of patient care, including but
not limited to: Testing; diagnosis; prognosis; ancillary research;
instructions; family planning, counseling, referrals, or any other
advice in connection with the use or procurement of contraceptives and
sterilization or abortion procedures; medication; or surgery or other
care or treatment rendered by a physician or physicians, nurses,
paraprofessionals, or health care facility, intended for the physical,
emotional, and mental well-being of persons.
(2) "Physician" means any person who is licensed by the state of
Washington under chapter 18.71 RCW.
(3) "Health care personnel" means any nurse, nurses' aide, medical
school student, professional, paraprofessional, or any other person who
furnishes, or assists in the furnishing of, health care services.
(4) "Health care facility" means any public or private hospital,
clinic, center, medical school, medical training institution,
laboratory or diagnostic facility, physician's office, infirmary,
dispensary, ambulatory surgical treatment center, or other institution
or location wherein health care services are provided to any person,
including physician organizations and associations, networks, joint
ventures, and all other combinations of those organizations.
(5) "Conscience" means a sincerely held set of moral convictions
arising from belief in and relation to God, or which, though not so
derived, arises from a place in the life of its possessor parallel to
that filled by God among adherents to religious faiths.
(6) "Health care payer" means a health maintenance organization,
insurance company, management services organization, or any other
entity that pays for or arranges for the payment of any health care or
medical care service, procedure, or product.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 503 No physician or health care personnel
shall be civilly or criminally liable to any person, estate, public or
private entity, or public official by reason of his or her refusal to
perform, assist, counsel, suggest, recommend, refer, or participate in
any way in any particular form of health care service that is contrary
to the conscience of such physician or health care personnel.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 504 It is unlawful for any person, public or
private institution, or public official to discriminate against any
person in any manner, including but not limited to, licensing, hiring,
promotion, transfer, staff appointment, hospital, managed care entity,
or any other privileges, because of such person's conscientious refusal
to receive, obtain, accept, perform, assist, counsel, suggest,
recommend, refer, or participate in any way in any particular form of
health care services contrary to his or her conscience.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 505 (1) Nothing in sections 501 through 518 of
this act relieves a physician from any duty, that may exist under any
laws concerning current standards, normal medical practices, and
procedures to inform his or her patient of the patient's condition,
prognosis, and risks. However, such physician is under no duty to
perform, assist, counsel, suggest, recommend, refer, or participate in
any way in any form of medical practice or health care service that is
contrary to his or her conscience.
(2) Nothing in sections 501 through 518 of this act shall be
construed so as to relieve a physician or other health care personnel
from obligations under the law of providing emergency medical care.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 506 It is unlawful for any public or private
employer, entity, agency, institution, official, or person, including
but not limited to, a medical, nursing, or other medical training
institution, to deny admission because of, to place any reference in
its application form concerning, to orally question about, to impose
any burdens in terms or conditions of employment on, or to otherwise
discriminate against, any applicant, in terms of employment, admission
to, or participation in any programs for which the applicant is
eligible, or to discriminate in relation thereto, in any other manner,
on account of the applicant's refusal to receive, obtain, accept,
perform, counsel, suggest, recommend, refer, assist, or participate in
any way in any forms of health care services contrary to his or her
conscience.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 507 It is unlawful for any public official,
guardian, agency, institution, or entity to deny any form of aid,
assistance, or benefits, or to condition the reception in any way of
any form of aid, assistance, or benefits, or in any other manner to
coerce, disqualify, or discriminate against any person otherwise
entitled to such aid, assistance, or benefits, because that person
refuses to obtain, receive, accept, perform, assist, counsel, suggest,
recommend, refer, or participate in any way in any form of health care
services contrary to his or her conscience.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 508 (1) No person, association, or corporation
that owns, operates, supervises, or manages a health care facility
shall be civilly or criminally liable to any person, estate, or public
or private entity by reason of refusal of the health care facility to
permit or provide any particular form of health care service that
violates the facility's conscience as documented in its ethical
guidelines, mission statement, constitution, bylaws, articles of
incorporation, regulations, or other governing documents.
(2) Nothing in sections 501 through 518 of this act shall be
construed so as to relieve a physician or other health care personnel
from obligations under the law of providing emergency medical care.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 509 It is unlawful for any person, public or
private institution, or public official to discriminate against any
person, association, or corporation attempting to establish a new
health care facility or operating an existing health care facility, in
any manner, including but not limited to, denial, deprivation or
disqualification in licensing, granting of authorizations, aids,
assistance, benefits, medical staff, or any other privileges, and
granting authorization to expand, improve, or create any health care
facility, by reason of the refusal of such person, association, or
corporation planning, proposing, or operating a health care facility,
to permit or perform any particular form of health care service that
violates the health care facility's conscience as documented in its
existing or proposed ethical guidelines, mission statement,
constitution, bylaws, articles of incorporation, regulations, or other
governing documents.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 510 It is unlawful for any public official,
agency, institution, or entity to deny any form of aid, assistance,
grants, or benefits; or in any other manner to coerce, disqualify, or
discriminate against any person, association, or corporation attempting
to establish a new health care facility or operating an existing health
care facility that otherwise would be entitled to the aid, assistance,
grant, or benefit because the existing or proposed health care facility
refuses to perform, assist, counsel, suggest, recommend, refer, or
participate in any way in any form of health care services contrary to
the health care facility's conscience as documented in its existing or
proposed ethical guidelines, mission statement, constitution, bylaws,
articles of incorporation, regulations, or other governing documents.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 511 No health care payer and no person,
association, or corporation that owns, operates, supervises, or manages
a health care payer shall be civilly or criminally liable to any
person, estate, or public or private entity by reason of refusal of the
health care payer to pay for or arrange for the payment of any
particular form of health care services that violate the health care
payer's conscience as documented in its ethical guidelines, mission
statement, constitution, bylaws, articles of incorporation,
regulations, or other governing documents.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 512 It is unlawful for any person, public or
private institution, or public official to discriminate against any
person, association, or corporation: (1) Attempting to establish a new
health care payer; or (2) operating an existing health care payer, in
any manner, including but not limited to: Denial, deprivation, or
disqualification in licensing; granting of authorizations, aids,
assistance, benefits, or any other privileges; and granting
authorization to expand, improve, or create any health care payer,
because the person, association, or corporation planning, proposing, or
operating a health care payer refuses to pay for or arrange for the
payment of any particular form of health care services that violates
the health care payer's conscience as documented in the existing or
proposed ethical guidelines, mission statement, constitution, bylaws,
articles of incorporation, regulations, or other governing documents.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 513 It is unlawful for any public official,
agency, institution, or entity to deny any form of aid, assistance,
grants, or benefits; or in any other manner to coerce, disqualify, or
discriminate against any person, association, or corporation attempting
to establish a new health care payer or operating an existing health
care payer that otherwise would be entitled to the aid, assistance,
grant, or benefit because the existing or proposed health care payer
refuses to pay for, arrange for the payment of, or participate in any
way in any form of health care services contrary to the health care
payer's conscience as documented in its existing or proposed ethical
guidelines, mission statement, constitution, bylaws, articles of
incorporation, regulations, or other governing documents.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 514 Any person, association, corporation,
entity, or health care facility injured by any public or private
person, association, agency, entity, or corporation by reason of any
action prohibited by sections 501 through 518 of this act may commence
a suit therefor, and shall recover treble damages, including pain and
suffering, sustained by such person, association, corporation, entity,
or health care facility, the costs of the suit, and reasonable
attorneys' fees; but in no case shall recovery be less than two
thousand five hundred dollars for each violation in addition to costs
of the suit and reasonable attorneys' fees. These damage remedies
shall be cumulative, and not exclusive of other remedies afforded under
any other state or federal law.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 515 If an insurer provides any insurance
coverage, services, or benefits to any employer or individual, the
insurer may elect but may not be required to provide the employer or
individual contraception or abortion related coverage, services, or
benefits.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 516 If an employer provides any insurance
coverage, services, or benefits for any employee or any dependent of
any employee by paying the costs or premiums in whole or in part for
such coverage, services, or benefits or by participating in negotiating
the terms of such coverage, services, or benefits, the employer may
elect but may not be required to provide the employee contraception or
abortion related coverage, services, or benefits.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 517 If an employer provides disability
coverage, services, or benefits, including sick leave plans or
temporary disability benefit plans, for any employee by paying the
costs or premiums in whole or in part for such coverage, services, or
benefits or by participating in negotiating the terms of such coverage,
services, or benefits, the employer may elect but may not be required
to provide the employee such coverage, services, or benefits for any
illness or disability caused or contributed to by any contraception or
abortion related services.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 518 Nothing in this section and sections 501
through 517 of this act shall be construed as excusing any person,
public or private institution, or public official from liability for
refusal to permit or provide a particular form of health care service
if:
(1) The person, public or private institution, or public official
has entered into a contract specifically to provide that particular
form of health care service; or
(2) The person, public or private institution, or public official
has accepted federal or state funds for the sole purpose of, and
specifically conditioned upon, permitting or providing that particular
form of health care service.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 601 The legislature finds that the medical
risks to the health of women as a result of obtaining an abortion makes
it necessary to clarify that only qualified health care personnel may
perform abortions or assist in performing abortions.
Sec. 602 RCW 9.02.110 and 1992 c 1 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
The state may not deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose
to have an abortion prior to viability of the fetus, or to protect her
life or health.
((A physician may terminate and a health care provider may assist
a physician in terminating a pregnancy as permitted by this section.))
A person who is not a health care provider may not perform an abortion.
Sec. 603 RCW 9.02.170 and 1992 c 1 s 8 are each amended to read
as follows:
For purposes of this chapter:
(1) "Viability" means the point in the pregnancy when, in the
judgment of the physician on the particular facts of the case before
such physician, there is a reasonable likelihood of the fetus's
sustained survival outside the uterus without the application of
extraordinary medical measures.
(2) "Abortion" means any medical treatment intended to induce the
termination of a pregnancy except for the purpose of producing a live
birth.
(3) "Pregnancy" means the reproductive process beginning with the
implantation of an embryo.
(4) "Physician" means a physician licensed to practice under
chapter 18.57 or 18.71 RCW in the state of Washington.
(5) "Health care provider" means a physician or ((a)) another
person ((acting under the general direction of a physician)) licensed
by this state under Title 18 RCW to provide health care services.
(6) "State" means the state of Washington and counties, cities,
towns, municipal corporations, and quasi-municipal corporations in the
state of Washington.
(7) "Private medical facility" means any medical facility that is
not owned or operated by the state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 701 (1) No abortion shall be performed or
induced except with the voluntary and informed consent of the woman
upon whom the abortion is to be performed or induced. Except in the
case of a medical emergency, consent to an abortion is voluntary and
informed if and only if:
(a) At least twenty-four hours before the abortion, the physician
who is to perform the abortion or the referring physician has orally
informed the woman of:
(i) The nature of the proposed procedure or treatment and of those
risks and alternatives to the procedure or treatment that a reasonable
patient would consider material to the decision of whether or not to
undergo the abortion;
(ii) The probable gestational age of the unborn child at the time
the abortion is to be performed; and
(iii) The medical risks associated with carrying her child to term;
(b) At least twenty-four hours before the abortion, the physician
who is to perform the abortion or the referring physician, or a
qualified physician assistant, health care practitioner, technician, or
social worker to whom the responsibility has been delegated by either
physician, has informed the pregnant woman that:
(i) The department publishes printed materials that describe the
unborn child and list agencies that offer alternatives to abortion and
she has a right to review the printed materials and a copy will be
provided to her free of charge if she chooses to review it;
(ii) Medical assistance benefits may be available for prenatal
care, childbirth, and neonatal care, and that more detailed information
on the availability of such assistance is contained in the printed
materials published by the department; and
(iii) The father of the unborn child is liable to assist in the
support of her child, even in instances where he has offered to pay for
the abortion. In the case of rape, this information may be omitted;
(c) A copy of the printed materials has been provided to the
pregnant woman if she chooses to view these materials; and
(d) The pregnant woman certifies in writing, before the abortion,
that the information required to be provided under this subsection has
been provided.
(2) If a medical emergency compels the performance of an abortion,
the physician shall inform the woman, before the abortion if possible,
of the medical indications supporting the judgment that an abortion is
necessary to avert her death or to avert substantial and irreversible
impairment of major bodily function.
(3) Any physician who violates the provisions of this section is
guilty of unprofessional conduct and his or her license for the
practice of medicine and surgery shall be subject to suspension or
revocation. Any physician who performs or induces an abortion without
first obtaining the certification required by subsection (1)(d) of this
section or with knowledge or reason to know that the informed consent
of the woman has not been obtained is for the first offense guilty of
a misdemeanor and for each subsequent offense is guilty of a gross
misdemeanor. No physician is guilty of violating this section for
failure to furnish the information required by subsection (1) of this
section if he or she can demonstrate, by a preponderance of the
evidence, that he or she reasonably believed that furnishing the
information would have resulted in a severely adverse effect on the
physical or mental health of the patient.
(4) Any physician who complies with the provisions of this section
may not be held civilly liable to his or her patient for failure to
obtain informed consent to the abortion.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 702 (1) Except in a medical emergency, or
except as provided in this section, if a pregnant woman is less than
eighteen years of age and not emancipated, or if she has been adjudged
an incapacitated person, a physician shall not perform an abortion upon
her unless, in the case of a woman who is less than eighteen years of
age, he or she first obtains the informed consent both of the pregnant
woman and of one of her parents; or, in the case of a woman who is an
incapacitated person, he or she first obtains the informed consent of
her guardian. In deciding whether to grant such consent, a pregnant
woman's parent or guardian shall consider only their child's or ward's
best interests. In the case of a pregnancy that is the result of
incest where the father is a party to the incestuous act, the pregnant
woman need only obtain the consent of her mother.
(2) If both parents have died or are otherwise unavailable to the
physician within a reasonable time and in a reasonable manner, consent
of the pregnant woman's guardian or guardians is sufficient. If the
pregnant woman's parents are divorced, consent of the parent having
custody is sufficient. If neither parent nor the legal guardian is
available to the physician within a reasonable time and in a reasonable
manner, consent of any adult person standing in loco parentis is
sufficient.
(3) If both of the parents or guardians of the pregnant woman
refuse to consent to the performance of an abortion or if she elects
not to seek the consent of either of her parents or of her guardian,
the superior court in which the applicant resides or in which the
abortion is sought shall, upon petition or motion, after an appropriate
hearing, authorize a physician to perform the abortion if the court
determines that the pregnant woman is mature and capable of giving
informed consent to the proposed abortion, and has, in fact, given such
consent.
(4) If the court determines that the pregnant woman is not mature
and capable of giving informed consent or if the pregnant woman does
not claim to be mature and capable of giving informed consent, the
court shall determine whether the performance of an abortion upon her
would be in her best interests. If the court determines that the
performance of an abortion would be in the best interests of the woman,
it shall authorize a physician to perform the abortion.
(5) The pregnant woman may participate in proceedings in the court
on her own behalf and the court may appoint a guardian ad litem to
assist her. The court shall, however, advise her that she has a right
to court-appointed counsel, and shall provide her with such counsel
unless she wishes to appear with private counsel or has knowingly and
intelligently waived representation by counsel.
(6)(a) Court proceedings under this section are confidential and
shall be given such precedence over other pending matters as will
ensure that the court may reach a decision promptly and without delay
in order to serve the best interests of the pregnant woman. In no case
shall the court fail to rule within three business days of the date of
application. A court that conducts proceedings under this section
shall make in writing specific factual findings and legal conclusions
supporting its decision and shall, upon the initial filing of the
minor's petition for judicial authorization of an abortion, order a
sealed record of the petition, pleadings, submissions, transcripts,
exhibits, orders, evidence, and any other written material to be
maintained which shall include its own findings and conclusions.
(b) The application to the court of common pleas shall be
accompanied by a nonnotarized verification stating that the information
therein is true and correct to the best of the applicant's knowledge,
and the application shall set forth the following facts:
(i) The initials of the pregnant woman;
(ii) The age of the pregnant woman;
(iii) The names and addresses of each parent, guardian or, if the
minor's parents are deceased and no guardian has been appointed, any
other person standing in loco parentis to the minor;
(iv) That the pregnant woman has been fully informed of the risks
and consequences of the abortion;
(v) Whether the pregnant woman is of sound mind and has sufficient
intellectual capacity to consent to the abortion;
(vi) A prayer for relief asking the court to either grant the
pregnant woman full capacity for the purpose of personal consent to the
abortion, or to give judicial consent to the abortion under subsection
(4) of this section based upon a finding that the abortion is in the
best interest of the pregnant woman;
(vii) That the pregnant woman is aware that any false statements
made in the application are punishable by law; and
(viii) The signature of the pregnant woman. If necessary to serve
the interest of justice, the family court shall refer the pregnant
woman to the appropriate personnel for assistance in preparing the
application.
(c) The name of the pregnant woman shall not be entered on any
docket that is subject to public inspection. All persons shall be
excluded from hearings under this section except the applicant and such
other persons whose presence is specifically requested by the applicant
or her guardian.
(d) At the hearing, the court shall hear evidence relating to the
emotional development, maturity, intellect, and understanding of the
pregnant woman, the fact and duration of her pregnancy, the nature,
possible consequences, and alternatives to the abortion, and any other
evidence that the court may find useful in determining whether the
pregnant woman should be granted full capacity for the purpose of
consenting to the abortion or whether the abortion is in the best
interest of the pregnant woman. The court shall also notify the
pregnant woman at the hearing that it must rule on her application
within three business days of the date of its filing and that, should
the court fail to rule in favor of her application within the allotted
time, she has the right to appeal to the superior court.
(7) Except in a medical emergency, no parent, guardian, or other
person standing in loco parentis shall coerce a minor or incapacitated
woman to undergo an abortion. Any minor or incapacitated woman who is
threatened with such coercion may apply to the superior court for
relief. The court shall provide the minor or incapacitated woman with
counsel, give the matter expedited consideration, and grant such relief
as may be necessary to prevent such coercion. Should a minor be denied
the financial support of her parents by reason of her refusal to
undergo abortion, she shall be considered emancipated for purposes of
eligibility for assistance benefits.
(8) No filing fees shall be required of any woman availing herself
of the procedures provided by this section. An expedited confidential
appeal shall be available to any pregnant woman whom the court fails to
grant an order authorizing an abortion within the time specified in
this section. Any court to which an appeal is taken under this section
shall give prompt and confidential attention thereto and shall rule
thereon within five business days of the filing of the appeal. The
supreme court may issue such rules as may further assure that the
process provided in this section is conducted in such a manner as will
ensure confidentiality and sufficient precedence over other pending
matters to ensure promptness of disposition.
(9) Any person who performs an abortion upon a woman who is an
unemancipated minor or incapacitated person to whom this section
applies either with knowledge that she is a minor or incapacitated
person to whom this section applies, or with reckless disregard or
negligence as to whether she is a minor or incapacitated person to whom
this section applies, and who intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly
fails to conform to any requirement of this section is guilty of
unprofessional conduct and his or her license for the practice of
medicine and surgery shall be suspended for a period of at least three
months. Failure to comply with the requirements of this section is
prima facie evidence of failure to obtain informed consent and of
interference with family relations in appropriate civil actions. The
law shall not be construed to preclude the award of exemplary damages
or damages for emotional distress even if unaccompanied by physical
complications in any appropriate civil action relevant to violations of
this section. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the
common law rights of parents.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 801 (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. 802 (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. 803 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 802
of this act shall be presumed to be sufficient information about this
research.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 804 A minor cannot give informed consent to a
substantial cancer risk.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 805 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. 901 (1) To develop necessary and meaningful
statistical data relating to abortion, a report shall be certified and
filed with the department of health by the physician who performed the
abortion no later than ten days after the abortion was performed. The
department shall produce a form to be used for purposes of this
section.
(2) The report shall indicate the type of abortion performed, the
stated or medical reason for the abortion, the name of the person who
performed the abortion, the name and address of the facility where the
abortion occurred, the age, race, and general health condition of the
patient, the stage of development of the fetus, 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.
(3) The report forms shall not identify any patient by name but by
an individual identifier to be noted in the patient's permanent record
in the possession of the physician. The department shall establish an
individual identifier system to be used for purposes of this section.
(4) The department shall report to the legislature by December 31st
of each year all statistical data gathered under this section. The
report shall not include the name of any physician or the name or
address of any facility but shall include the county in which a
facility was located.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1001 Public funds shall not be used by state
or local governments, or any political subdivision or agency thereof,
to pay or otherwise reimburse, either directly or indirectly, any
person, agency, organization, or facility for the performance of any
induced abortion. Public funds may be used to pay for the performance
of an induced abortion necessary to prevent the death of either the
pregnant woman or her unborn child under circumstances where every
reasonable effort is made to preserve the life of each.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1101 (1) If an abortion is to be performed and
the unborn child is viable, an anesthetic or analgesic shall be applied
to the unborn child to eliminate or alleviate the organic pain to the
unborn child caused by the abortion. The physician who is to perform
the abortion shall inform the woman upon whom the abortion is to be
performed that an anesthetic or analgesic is to be used to eliminate or
alleviate the organic pain caused to the unborn child by the abortion.
(2) The requirements of this section shall not apply when:
(a) In the medical judgment of the physician who is to perform the
abortion or the referring physician based upon the particular facts of
the case:
(i) There exists a medical emergency that so complicates the
pregnancy as to require an immediate abortion without opportunity to
provide an anesthetic or analgesic;
(ii) The anesthetic or analgesic would decrease a known possibility
of sustained survival of the unborn child apart from the body of the
mother, with or without artificial support; or
(iii) The use of any anesthetic or analgesic would so substantially
increase the medical risk to the pregnant woman as to be
contraindicated; or
(b) The physician who is to perform the abortion administers an
anesthetic or analgesic to the woman to eliminate or alleviate pain
caused to her by the particular method of abortion employed and the
physician knows there exists reasonable medical certainty that the
anesthetic or analgesic will eliminate organic pain caused to the fetus
during the course of the abortion.
(3) As used in this section, "viable" means that stage of fetal
development when, in the medical judgment of the attending physician
based on the particular facts of the case, there is a reasonable
likelihood of sustained survival of the fetus outside the womb, with or
without artificial support.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1201 Table of contents and part headings used
in this act are not part of the law.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1202 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. 1203 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.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1204 Sections 101, 102, 202, 206, 207, 301,
401 through 410, 501 through 518, 601, 701, 702, 801 through 805, 901,
1001, and 1101 of this act are each added to chapter