I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 490 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit abortion in cases where 
a fetal heartbeat is detectable. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 11, 2019 
Mr. KING of Iowa (for himself, Mr. MASSIE, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. DAVIDSON of 
Ohio, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. PALMER, Mr. FLEISCHMANN, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. 
WEBER of Texas, Mr. PALAZZO, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. YOHO, Mr. MAR-
SHALL, Mr. JONES, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. WEBSTER of Flor-
ida, Mr. MEADOWS, Mr. HARRIS, Mr. LONG, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. HILL 
of Arkansas, Mr. CLOUD, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. MOONEY of West Virginia, 
Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana, Mr. KELLY of Mississippi, Mr. ABRAHAM, Mr. 
ADERHOLT, Mr. BANKS, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. PERRY, Mr. HICE of 
Georgia, Mr. ROUZER, Mr. WILLIAMS, Mr. CARTER of Texas, Mr. KELLY 
of Pennsylvania, Mr. GROTHMAN, Mr. HUDSON, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of 
Georgia, Mr. KUSTOFF of Tennessee, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. OLSON, Mr. 
HUIZENGA, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. JORDAN, Mr. LATTA, Mr. ARRINGTON, 
Mr. BABIN, Mr. GUTHRIE, Mr. EMMER, Mr. BYRNE, Mr. RUTHERFORD, 
Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. WALKER, Mrs. LESKO, Mr. WOMACK, Mr. BACON, 
Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mr. RATCLIFFE, Mr. GIBBS, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. 
ESTES, Mr. GIANFORTE, Mr. FORTENBERRY, Mr. HOLDING, Mr. BUDD, 
Mr. ALLEN, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, Mr. LAHOOD, Mrs. WAGNER, Mr. 
DUNN, and Mr. CARTER of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit abortion 
in cases where a fetal heartbeat is detectable. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Heartbeat Protection 
Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. ABORTIONS PROHIBITED WITHOUT A CHECK FOR 
FETAL HEARTBEAT, OR IF A FETAL HEART-
BEAT IS DETECTABLE. 
(a) ABORTIONS PROHIBITED WITHOUT
A CHECK 
FOR FETAL HEARTBEAT, OR IF A FETAL HEARTBEAT IS 
DETECTABLE.—Chapter 74 of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(1) in the chapter heading, by striking ‘‘PAR-
TIAL-BIRTH’’; 
(2) by inserting after section 1531 the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 1532. Abortions prohibited without a check for 
fetal heartbeat, or if a fetal heartbeat is 
detectable 
‘‘(a) OFFENSE.—Any physician who knowingly per-
forms an abortion and thereby kills a human fetus— 
‘‘(1) without determining, according to stand-
ard medical practice, whether the fetus has a detect-
able heartbeat; 
‘‘(2) without informing the mother of the re-
sults of that determination; or 
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‘‘(3) after determining, according to standard 
medical practice, that the fetus has a detectable 
heartbeat, 
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 
5 years, or both. This subsection does not apply to an 
abortion that is necessary to save the life of a mother 
whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical 
illness, or physical injury, including a life-endangering 
physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy 
itself, but not including psychological or emotional condi-
tions. 
‘‘(b) DEFENDANT MAY SEEK HEARING.—A defend-
ant indicted for an offense under this section may seek 
a hearing before the State Medical Board on whether the 
physician’s conduct was necessary to save the life of the 
mother whose life was endangered by a physical disorder, 
physical illness, or physical injury, including a life-endan-
gering physical condition caused by or arising from the 
pregnancy itself, but not including psychological or emo-
tional conditions. The findings on that issue are admissible 
on that issue at the trial of the defendant. Upon a motion 
of the defendant, the court shall delay the beginning of 
the trial for not more than 30 days to permit such a hear-
ing to take place. 
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‘‘(c) NO LIABILITY FOR THE MOTHER ON WHOM 
ABORTION IS PERFORMED.—A mother upon whom an 
abortion is performed may not be prosecuted under this 
section, for a conspiracy to violate this section, or for an 
offense under section 2, 3, or 4 of this title based on a 
violation of this section. 
‘‘(d) REQUIREMENT FOR DATA RETENTION.—The 
physician shall include in the medical file of the mother 
documentation of the determination, according to stand-
ard medical practice, of whether the fetus has a detectable 
heartbeat, the results of that determination, notification 
of the mother of those results, and any information en-
tered into evidence in any proceedings under subsection 
(b). Paragraph (j)(2) of section 164.530 of title 45, Code 
of Federal Regulations, shall apply to such documentation. 
‘‘(e) SEVERABILITY.—If any provision of this section 
or the application of such provision to any person or cir-
cumstance is held to be invalid, the remainder of this sec-
tion and the application of the provisions of the remainder 
to any person or circumstance shall not be affected there-
by.’’; and 
(3) in the table of sections, by inserting after 
the item pertaining to section 1841 the following: 
‘‘1532. Abortions prohibited without a check for fetal heartbeat, or if a fetal 
heartbeat is detectable.’’. 
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(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of chapters 
for part I of title 18, United States Code, is amended, 
in the item relating to chapter 74, to read as follows: 
‘‘74. Abortions .......................................................................................... 1531’’. 
Æ 
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