2023 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes › Title 18 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES › Chapter 32 - Abortion › Section 3213 - Prohibited acts

§ 3213. Prohibited acts.
(a) Payment for abortion.--
Except in the case of a pregnancy which is not yet clinically diagnosable, any person who intends to perform or induce abortion shall, before accepting payment therefor, make or obtain a determination that the woman is pregnant. Any person who intentionally or knowingly accepts such a payment without first making or obtaining such a determination commits a misdemeanor of the second degree. Any person who makes such a determination erroneously either knowing that it is erroneous or with reckless disregard or negligence as to whether it is erroneous, and who either:
(1) thereupon or thereafter intentionally relies upon that determination in soliciting or obtaining any such payment; or
(2) intentionally conveys that determination to any person or persons with knowledge that, or with reckless disregard as to whether, that determination will be relied upon in any solicitation or obtaining of any such payment;
commits a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(b) Referral fee.--
The payment or receipt of a referral fee in connection with the performance of an abortion is a misdemeanor of the first degree. For purposes of this section, "referral fee" means the transfer of anything of value between a physician who performs an abortion or an operator or employee of a clinic at which an abortion is performed and the person who advised the woman receiving the abortion to use the services of that physician or clinic.
(c) Regulations.--
The department shall issue regulations to assure that prior to the performance of any abortion, including abortions performed in the first trimester of pregnancy, the maternal Rh status shall be determined and that anti-Rh sensitization prophylaxis shall be provided to each patient at risk of sensitization unless the patient refuses to accept the treatment. Except when there exists a medical emergency or, in the judgment of the physician, there exists no possibility of Rh sensitization, the intentional, knowing, or reckless failure to conform to the regulations issued pursuant to this subsection constitutes "unprofessional conduct" and his license for the practice of medicine and surgery shall be subject to suspension or revocation in accordance with procedures provided under the act of October 5, 1978 (P.L.1109, No.261), known as the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act, the act of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112), known as the Medical Practice Act of 1985, or their successor acts.
(d) Participation in abortion.--
Except for a facility devoted exclusively to the performance of abortions, no medical personnel or medical facility, nor any employee, agent or student thereof, shall be required against his or its conscience to aid, abet or facilitate performance of an abortion or dispensing of an abortifacient and failure or refusal to do so shall not be a basis for any civil, criminal, administrative or disciplinary action, penalty or proceeding, nor may it be the basis for refusing to hire or admit anyone. Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the provisions of the act of October 27, 1955 (P.L.744, No.222), known as the "Pennsylvania Human Relations Act." Any person who knowingly violates the provisions of this subsection shall be civilly liable to the person thereby injured and, in addition, shall be liable to that person for punitive damages in the amount of $5,000.
(e) In vitro fertilization.--
All persons conducting, or experimenting in, in vitro fertilization shall file quarterly reports with the department, which shall be available for public inspection and copying, containing the following information:
(1) Names of all persons conducting or assisting in the fertilization or experimentation process.
(2) Locations where the fertilization or experimentation is conducted.
(3) Name and address of any person, facility, agency or organization sponsoring the fertilization or experimentation except that names of any persons who are donors or recipients of sperm or eggs shall not be disclosed.
(4) Number of eggs fertilized.
(5) Number of fertilized eggs destroyed or discarded.
(6) Number of women implanted with a fertilized egg.
Any person required under this subsection to file a report, keep records or supply information, who willfully fails to file such report, keep records or supply such information or who submits a false report shall be assessed a fine by the department in the amount of $50 for each day in which that person is in violation hereof.
(f) Notice.--
(1) Except for a facility devoted exclusively to the performance of abortions, every facility performing abortions shall prominently post a notice, not less than eight and one-half inches by eleven inches in size, entitled "Right of Conscience," for the exclusive purpose of informing medical personnel, employees, agents and students of such facilities of their rights under subsection (d) and under section 5.2 of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. The facility shall post the notice required by this subsection in a location or locations where notices to employees, medical personnel and students are normally posted or, if notices are not normally posted, in a location or locations where the notice required by this subsection is likely to be seen by medical personnel, employees or students of the facility. The department shall prescribe a model notice which may be used by any facility, and any facility which utilizes the model notice or substantially similar language shall be deemed in compliance with this subsection.
(2) The department shall have the authority to assess a civil penalty of up to $5,000 against any facility for each violation of this subsection, giving due consideration to the appropriateness of the penalty with respect to the size of the facility, the gravity of the violation, the good faith of the facility and the history of previous violations. Civil penalties due under this subsection shall be paid to the department for deposit in the State Treasury and may be collected by the department in the appropriate court of common pleas. The department shall send a copy of its model notice to every facility which files a report under section 3207(b) (relating to abortion facilities). Failure to receive a notice shall not be a defense to any civil action brought pursuant to this subsection.
(Mar. 25, 1988, P.L.262, No.31, eff. 30 days)
1988 Amendment.
Act 31 amended subsec. (c) and added subsec. (f).