Abortion Legislation Act 2020

1: Title
This Act is the Abortion Legislation Act 2020.
2: Commencement
This Act comes into force on the day after the date of Royal assent.
1: Amendments to Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977
3: Principal Act
This Part amends the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 principal Act 2020-03-24 Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977
4: Long Title repealed
Repeal the Long Title
5: Section 2 replaced (Interpretation)
Replace section 2
2: Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— abortion
a: means intentionally causing the termination of a woman’s pregnancy by any means, including—
i: by using a drug or combination of drugs; or
ii: by using an instrument; but
b: does not include—
i: any procedure intended to induce the birth of a live fetus believed to be viable; or
ii: any procedure to remove a dead fetus; or
iii: any contraceptive abortion service provider abortion services conscientious objection contraceptive Director-General employer entity
a: a body corporate:
b: a corporation sole:
c: an unincorporated body:
d: a sole trader health practitioner hospital medical emergency medical practitioner qualified health practitioner safe area section 17(1)
6: New sections 2A and 2B inserted
After section 2
2A: Transitional, savings, and related provisions
The transitional, savings, and related provisions set out in Schedule 1
2B: Act binds the Crown
This Act binds the Crown.
7: Section 5 amended (Supply of contraceptives to sexual violation complainants)
1: In section 5(1)﻿(b) another medical practitioner or a family planning clinic an alternative person who is a provider of contraceptive services and how to access the contact details of such a person
2: After section 5(3)
3A: If a medical practitioner referred to in subsection (1) or (2) has a conscientious objection to supplying or authorising the supply to the complainant of any contraceptive, the medical practitioner must tell the complainant—
a: of their conscientious objection at the earliest opportunity; and
b: how to access the contact details of another person who is a provider of contraceptive services.
8: Sections 10 to 46 replaced
Replace sections 10 to 46
10: Provision of abortion services to women not more than 20 weeks pregnant
A qualified health practitioner may provide abortion services to a woman who is not more than 20 weeks pregnant.
11: Provision of abortion services to women more than 20 weeks pregnant
1: A qualified health practitioner may only provide abortion services to a woman who is more than 20 weeks pregnant if the health practitioner reasonably believes that the abortion is clinically appropriate in the circumstances.
2: In considering whether the abortion is clinically appropriate in the circumstances, the qualified health practitioner must—
a: consult at least 1 other qualified health practitioner; and
b: have regard to—
i: all relevant legal, professional, and ethical standards to which the qualified health practitioner is subject; and
ii: the woman’s—
A: physical health; and
B: mental health; and
C: overall well-being; and
iii: the gestational age of the fetus.
3: Subsection (2)
12: Counselling
1: A health practitioner must advise a woman of the availability of counselling services if the woman—
a: seeks advice or information about whether to continue or terminate a pregnancy; or
b: advises the health practitioner of the wish to terminate a pregnancy; or
c: has terminated a pregnancy.
2: A qualified health practitioner may not, as a condition of providing abortion services to a woman, require the woman to attend counselling before or after the provision of those services.
13: Self-referral to abortion services
A qualified health practitioner may not, as a condition of providing abortion services to a woman, require the woman to be referred from a health practitioner. Miscellaneous provisions
14: Conscientious objection
1: This section applies to a person ( A B
a: contraception services:
b: sterilisation services:
c: abortion services:
d: information or advisory services about whether to continue or terminate a pregnancy.
2: If A has a conscientious objection to providing, or to assisting with providing, to B the service requested, A must tell B at the earliest opportunity—
a: of their conscientious objection; and
b: how to access the contact details of another person who is the closest provider of the service requested.
3: In subsection (2)﻿(b) closest provider
a: the physical distance between the providers; and
b: the date and time that B makes the request under subsection (1)
c: the operating hours of the provider of the service requested.
4: This section does not override a health practitioner’s professional and legal duty to provide prompt and appropriate medical assistance to any person in a medical emergency.
15: Employer providing certain services must accommodate conscientious objection of applicant or employee unless it would cause unreasonable disruption
1: An employer that provides any of the services specified in section 14(1)
a: refuse or omit to employ the applicant for work that is available; or
b: offer or afford the applicant or the employee less favourable terms of employment, conditions of work, superannuation or other fringe benefits, and opportunities for training, promotion, and transfer than are made available to applicants or employees of the same or substantially similar capabilities employed in the same or substantially similar work; or
c: terminate the employment of the employee in circumstances in which the employment of other employees employed in the same or substantially similar work would not be terminated; or
d: subject the employee to any detriment in circumstances in which other employees employed in the same or substantially similar work would not be subjected to such detriment; or
e: retire the employee, or to require or cause the employee to retire or resign.
2: However, if accommodating an applicant’s or employee’s conscientious objection would unreasonably disrupt the employer’s provision of health services, the employer may take any of the actions described in subsection (1)
3: Accommodating an applicant’s or employee’s conscientious objection may include arranging for the duties in respect of which the applicant or employee has an objection to be carried out by an existing employee.
4: An applicant or employee who alleges that an employer has contravened this section may make a complaint under the Human Rights Act 1993 as if the complaint were a complaint of unlawful discrimination under section 22 of that Act.
5: If an applicant or employee who alleges that an employer has contravened this section is entitled to pursue a personal grievance under the Employment Relations Act 2000, the applicant or employee may take either, but not both, of the following steps:
a: apply to the Employment Relations Authority for the resolution of the grievance under that Act; or
b: make a complaint under the Human Rights Act 1993.
6: In this section, employer section 2
a: the person for whom work is done by an independent contractor; and
b: the person for whom work is done by contract workers under a contract between that person and the person who supplies the contract workers; and
c: the person for whom work is done by an unpaid worker.
16: Minister of Health to ensure availability of certain services
1: The Minister of Health must, when entering into Crown funding agreements under the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000, take reasonable steps to ensure that—
a: the following services are available throughout New Zealand:
i: the services specified in section 14(1)
ii: counselling services in relation to, or in connection with, the provision of abortion services; and
b: the following services are provided in accordance with the standards published by the Director-General under section 19(1)﻿(b)
i: abortion services:
ii: counselling services in relation to, or in connection with, the provision of abortion services.
2: To meet the obligation under subsection (1)﻿(a)﻿(i)
3: In this section, emergency contraception
17: Duty of Director-General to undertake periodic reviews of certain matters
1: Not later than 5 years after the commencement of this section, and then at subsequent intervals of not more than 5 years, the Director-General must—
a: review whether there is timely and equitable access to—
i: the services specified in section 14(1)
ii: counselling services in relation to, or in connection with, the provision of abortion services; and
b: report to the Minister of Health on—
i: the outcomes of the review; and
ii: the recommendations that the Director-General considers appropriate (if any) for improving the timely and equitable access to those services.
2: The review and report under subsection (1)
18: Duty of Director-General to compile, maintain, and make available list of abortion service providers
1: The Director-General must compile and maintain a list of the names and contact details of abortion service providers in New Zealand.
2: The Director-General may not include in the list the name and contact details of any abortion service provider who advises the Director-General that they do not want their name and contact details included in the list.
3: The Director-General must ensure that the list, or the information on the list, is accessible to any person on request.
19: Duty of Director-General to collect, collate, analyse, and publish information
1: The Director-General must—
a: collect, collate, analyse, and publish information about the provision of—
i: abortion services in New Zealand; and
ii: counselling services in relation to, or in connection with, the provision of abortion services; and
b: develop and publish standards for the services described in paragraph (a)
2: However, the Director-General must not publish, under subsection (1)﻿(a)
20: Abortion service provider to notify Director-General about abortion services provided
1: An abortion service provider must notify the Director-General after the following services are provided by or through the provider:
a: a surgical abortion; or
b: a medicine is prescribed or administered for the purpose of inducing an abortion.
2: A notification must include, in relation to the provision of the services referred to in subsection (1)
a: the information specified in Schedule 2
b: such other information the Director-General may require.
3: However, in no case may the information provided under this section include the name of the woman to whom the abortion service was provided.
4: A notification must be given—
a: not later than 1 month after the provision of the abortion service; and
b: in the form or manner required by the Director-General.
5: This section is repealed on the expiry of 18 months after the date on which it comes into force.
21: Abortion for sole purpose of sex selection
1: This Parliament opposes the performance of abortions being sought solely because of a preference for the fetus to be of a particular sex.
2: Not later than 5 years after the commencement of this section, and then at subsequent intervals of not more than 5 years, the Director-General must—
a: review whether there is any evidence of abortions being sought solely because of a preference for the fetus to be of a particular sex; and
b: report to the Minister of Health on—
i: the outcome of the review; and
ii: if there is such evidence, any recommendations that the Director-General considers appropriate for preventing abortions being sought solely because of a preference for the fetus to be of a particular sex. Abortion Law Reform Act 2019 s 16 (NSW)
22: Reports to be presented to House of Representatives
As soon as practicable after receiving a report under section 17(1) or 21(2)
23: General regulation-making power
The Governor-General may, by Order in Council, make regulations for all or any of the following purposes:
a: enabling the Director-General of Health to collect information that may be required to enable the Director-General to discharge the Director-General’s duties specified in section 17, 18, 19, or 21
b: providing for any other matters contemplated by this Act, necessary for its administration, or necessary for giving it full effect.
9: New Schedules 1 and 2 inserted
After section 23 Schedules 1 and 2 Schedule 1
2: Amendments to other enactments
1: Amendments to Crimes Act 1961
10: Amendments to Crimes Act 1961
This subpart amends the Crimes Act 1961 2020-03-24 Crimes Act 1961
11: Cross-heading above section 182 replaced
Replace the cross-heading above section 182 Killing unborn child
12: Section 182 amended (Killing unborn child)
Replace section 182(2)
2: Nothing in subsection (1) applies to any person who before or during the birth of any child causes its death by—
a: a means employed in good faith to preserve the life of the child’s mother; or
b: providing abortion services in accordance with section 10 or 11
13: Sections 182A to 187A replaced
Replace sections 182A to 187A Abortion services
183: Abortion procured by person other than health practitioner
1: A person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 5 years if the person is not a health practitioner and—
a: procures, or attempts to procure, an abortion for a woman; or
b: performs, or attempts to perform, an abortion on a woman.
2: The woman is not guilty of an offence under this section.
3: In this section,— abortion section 2 health practitioner
2: Amendments to Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003
14: Amendments to Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003
This subpart amends the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 2020-03-24 Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003
15: Section 174 amended (Duty of health practitioners in respect of reproductive health services)
1: In section 174(1)﻿(a) sterilisation, abortion,
2: Replace section 174(1)﻿(b)
b: the health practitioner has an objection on the ground of conscience to providing the service (a conscientious objection
3: Replace section 174(2)
2: When this section applies, the health practitioner must tell the person requesting the service at the earliest opportunity—
a: of their conscientious objection; and
b: how to access the contact details of another person who is the closest provider of the service requested.
3: In subsection (2)﻿(b) closest provider
a: the physical distance between the providers; and
b: the date and time that the person has requested the service; and
c: the operating hours of the provider of the service requested.
3: Amendment to Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994
16: Amendment to Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994
This subpart amends the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 2020-03-24 Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994
17: Section 2 amended (Interpretation)
In section 2(1) health services
ii: reproductive health services, including—
A: contraception services and advice:
B: fertility services:
C: sterilisation services:
D: abortion services
4: Consequential amendments and revocation
18: Consequential amendments and revocation
1: The Act specified in Part 1
2: The legislative instrument specified in Part 2
3: The legislative instrument specified in Part 3 2020-03-24 Official Information Act 1982 Medicines Regulations 1984 Abortion Regulations 1978