HB21 Summary

• Prohibits physicians from performing abortions on pregnant women after a detectable fetal heartbeat has been detected using applicable medical standards of care.

• Requires physicians to check for a detectable heartbeat prior to performing any abortion and document in writing the procedure used, date performed, and results.

• Provides exceptions allowing abortion when no heartbeat is detected, when the unborn child has a lethal anomaly, when it is an ectopic pregnancy, or when necessary to prevent death or substantial irreversible impairment of the pregnant woman's major bodily function (excluding psychological or emotional conditions).

• Makes it a Class C felony for a physician to fail to perform a heartbeat detection procedure or to perform an abortion on an unborn child with a detected heartbeat; the pregnant woman cannot be prosecuted.

• Requires documentation to be maintained for at least seven years and made available to the patient, state health regulators, and state licensure authorities upon request; becomes effective 30 days after Governor's signature.