ND HB1488

Establishes a tiered gestational framework: abortion permitted through 15 weeks at licensed healthcare facilities; from 16-26 weeks only with approval from a hospital abortion committee for medical purposes including serious health risks; after 27 weeks only when medically required and committee-approved

Creates mandatory abortion approval committees at hospitals, composed of three board-certified physicians (OB/GYN, family practice, and internal medicine/pediatrics) who must render decisions within five days; committee member identities and deliberations remain confidential

Removes the 24-hour waiting period requirement before obtaining informed consent and eliminates several previous disclosure requirements, including statements that abortion terminates "a whole, separate, unique, living human being"

Exempts medical emergencies from committee approval requirements, allowing any licensed physician to perform an abortion to preserve the life of the mother and fetus at any point during pregnancy

Repeals existing abortion restriction sections (14-02.1-03.4, 14-02.1-03.5, and 14-02.1-04) and changes terminology throughout the code from "unborn child" to "fetus"