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Committee adopts amendment clarifying 'life and health of the mother' exception to Human Life Protection Act
Summary
Senators amended and reported Senate Bill 1004 to calendar; the sponsor said the amendment clarifies medical judgment and lists conditions that could create a serious risk to a mother's life or major body functions.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to amend and report Senate Bill 1004, a measure described by sponsor Senator Briggs as a clarification of the current Human Life Protection Act’s life‑and‑health exceptions. The amendment (tracking number 4937) was placed on the bill and committee members approved the measure; the bill will go to the Senate calendar.
Senator Briggs said the bill “is simply about clarifying and elaborating on the existent life and health of the mother exception in current law,” and that “reasonable medical judgment still applies.” The amendment specifies conditions the sponsor said may constitute a serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. Those listed conditions include previable premature rupture of membranes, inevitable abortion, severe preeclampsia, and infections that risk uterine rupture or permanent infertility; Briggs said the law still requires doctors to give the baby the best chance to survive and that abortion “does not have to be the outcome in all of these situations.”
The amendment was adopted by voice and roll call and the committee recorded nine ayes. There were no extended questions recorded after the sponsor’s description. The chair announced that SB 1004 would go to the calendar.
Outcome: SB 1004 was amended and reported to the Senate calendar.
Ending: Sponsor Briggs said the amendment “really helps, to understand what can be done and what not can be done” and asked for a positive vote; the committee approved the amendment and forwarded the bill.
