Informed Consent Act

Bill: 116-hr-8498
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2020-10-01
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Abortion

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Family planning and birth control

Federal officials

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Government liability

Health programs administration and funding

Medical ethics

Public contracts and procurement
Latest action: action_date: 2020-10-01
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-10-01
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Informed Consent Act</b></p> <p>This bill establishes a new criminal offense for knowingly performing an abortion or sterilization procedure without obtaining informed consent, unless the procedure is necessary to save an individual's life or otherwise prevent substantial impairment of a major bodily function. </p> <p>An individual who performs these procedures absent informed consent is subject to criminal penalties&#8212;a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both.</p> </p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8498 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 1, 2020 Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself, Mrs. Walorski , and Ms. Foxx of North Carolina ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to criminalize any abortion or sterilization procedure performed without the informed consent of the person on whom such procedure is performed, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Informed Consent Act . 2. Abortion and sterilization (a) In general Chapter 7 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 120. Abortion and sterilization without informed consent (a) Offense Whoever, under the circumstances described in subsection (b), knowingly performs an abortion or a sterilization procedure on a person without the informed consent of such person shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both. (b) Circumstances described For purposes of subsection (a), the circumstances described in this subsection are that— (1) the defendant is an officer, employee, or contractor of the Federal Government; (2) the defendant is a recipient of Federal funds from the Secretary of Health and Human Services or a program administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services; or (3) the conduct described in subsection (a) occurred in or affected interstate commerce. (c) Exception This section does not apply to an abortion or sterilization procedure that, on the basis of the physician's good faith clinical judgment, is necessary to save the life of an individual 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 or reproductive organs of the individual, or for which a delay will create serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections for chapter 7 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 120. Abortion and sterilization without informed consent. .