HB349 Summary

• Establishes the "Every Mother Matters Act" and creates the Pregnancy Launch Program, administered by the Alabama Department of Public Health through contracted agencies to provide pregnancy support services statewide.

• Requires physicians to verify that women have received a free "resource access assistance offer" before performing an abortion, with limited exceptions for medical emergencies; this requirement becomes effective 18 months after the act's passage.

• The resource access assistance offer must be provided via toll-free telephone number and include information about free pregnancy support services, care plan coordination, socioeconomic resources, and screening for abuse, trafficking, and coercion.

• Imposes a $5,000 civil penalty per violation on individuals performing abortions without proper verification, with enforcement through audits of 10% of abortion medical records annually; abortion providers are jointly and severally liable for penalties.

• Women are not required to provide personal information, initiate services, or accept the offer in order to obtain an abortion, and all services are provided at state expense with no cost to participants.