HB 1238 Summary

• Requires physicians to provide pregnant women with extensive written and oral information at least 24 hours before abortion, including medical risks, fetal development details, ultrasound opportunity, alternatives to abortion, and information about support services and parental support obligations.

• Mandates abortion facilities display signs stating that coercion to have an abortion is illegal and requires physicians to screen for coerced abortion; prohibits abortion performance on women 22 weeks or older without offering anesthesia or analgesics for fetal pain.

• Requires detailed abortion reporting to the state including abortion method used, gestational age by weekly increments, and reasons provided by the woman, with annual statistical publication protecting patient and provider confidentiality.

• Restricts abortion performance to licensed physicians only and exempts pharmacies from requirements to perform, assist, recommend, or refer for abortifacient drugs or emergency contraception without civil or criminal liability.

• Creates new crimes of "coercing an abortion" (ranging from class A misdemeanor to class A felony depending on underlying offense) and performing abortion on a coerced victim; requires reporting suspected coerced abortion to child protective services, adult protective services, or law enforcement depending on victim status.