87(R) SB 8 - Enrolled version - Texas

1 ACTrelatingto abortion,includingabortionsafterdetectio nof anunbornchild s heartbeat;authorizinga IT ENACTEDBY THE LEGISLATUREOF THE STATEOF knownas Texasneverrepealed,eitherexpresslyor by implication,thestatestatutesenactedbefor etherulinginRoev. Wade, (1973),thatprohibitand criminalizeabortionunlessthe mother slifeis in ,Healthand SafetyCode,is amendedby addingSubchapterH to readas follows:SUBCHAPTERH. DETECTIONOF thissubchapter:(1)AA"Fetalheartbeat"mean scardiacactivityor thesteadyandrepetitiverhythmiccontractio nof thefetalheartwithinthe gestationalsac.(2)AA"Gestationalage"mean stheamountof timethathas elapsedfromthe firstday of a woman s lastmenstrualperiod.(3)AA"Gestationalsac "meansthestructurecomprisingthe extraembryonicmembranesthatenvelopthe unbornchildand thatis typicallyvisibleby ultrasoundafterthefourthweekof1234567891 011121314151617181920212223241pregnancy.

2 (4)AA"Physician"meansanindividuallicense dtopracticemedicinein thisstate,includinga medicaldoctorand adoctorof osteopathicmedicine.(5)AA"Pregnancy"mean sthehumanfemalereproductiveconditionthat :(A)AAbeginswithfertilization;(B)AAoccur swhenthewomanis carryingthedevelopinghumanoffspring;and( C)AAis calculatedfromthefirstdayof thewoman s lastmenstrualperiod.(6)AA"Standardmedica lpractice"meansthedegreeofskill,care,and diligencethatan obstetricianof ordinaryjudgment,learning,and skillwouldemployin likecircumstances.(7)AA"Unbornchild"mean sa humanfetusor embryoin anystageof legislaturefinds,accordingto contemporarymedicalresearch,that:(1)AAfe talheartbeathas becomea key medicalpredictorthatan unbornchildwillreachlivebirth;(2)AAcardi acactivitybeginsata biologicallyidentifiablemomentin time,normallywhenthefetalheartisformedin the gestationalsac;(3)AATexashas compellinginterestsfromthe outsetofa woman s pregnancyin protectingthe healthof the womanand thelifeof the unbornchild;and(4)AAto makean ,thepregnantwomanhasa compellinginterestin knowingthe likelihoodof her unbornchildsurvivingtofull-termbirthbase don the presenceof PRESENCEOF FETALHEARTBEATREQUIRED;RECORD.

3 (a)AAForthepurposesof determiningthepresenceof a fetalheartbeatunderthissection,"standard medicalpractice"includesemployingthe appropriatemeansof detectingtheheartbeatbasedon theestimatedgestationalageof theunbornchildand the conditionof the womanand her pregnancy.(b)AAExceptas providedby ,a physicianmaynotknowinglyperformor inducean abortionon a pregnantwomanunlessthephysicianhasdeterm ined,in accordancewiththissection,whetherthewoma n s unbornchildhasa detectablefetalheartbeat.(c)AAIn makinga determinationunderSubsection(b),thephysi cianmustuse a testthatis:(1)AAconsistentwiththephysici an s goodfaithandreasonableunderstandingof standardmedicalpractice;and(2)AAappropri atefortheestimatedgestationalageoftheunb ornchildandtheconditionof thepregnantwomanandherpregnancy.(d)AAA physicianmakinga determinationunderSubsection(b)shallreco rdin the pregnantwoman s medicalrecord:(1)AAthe estimatedgestationalage of the unbornchild;(2)AAthemethodusedto estimatethegestationalage;and(3)AAthetes tusedfordetectinga fetalheartbeat, date,time,and resultsof the UNBORNCHILDWITHDETECTABLEFETALHEARTBEAT; EFFECT.

4 (a)AAExceptas ,a physicianmay not knowinglyperformor induceanabortionon a pregnantwomanif thephysiciandetecteda fetalheartbeatfortheunbornchildas requiredby performa testto detecta fetalheartbeat.(b)AAA physiciandoesnotviolatethissectionif thephysicianperformeda testfora fetalheartbeatas did not detecta fetalheartbeat.(c)AAThissectiondoesnot affect:(1)AAtheprovisionsof thischapterthatrestrictorregulatean abortionby a particularmethodor duringa particularstageof pregnancy;or(2)AAany otherprovisionof statelaw ;RECORDS.(a) notapplyif a physicianbelievesa medicalemergencyexiststhatpreventscompli ancewiththissubchapter.(b)AAA physicianwhoperformsor inducesan abortionundercircumstancesdescribedby Subsection(a)shallmakewrittennotationsin the pregnantwoman s medicalrecordof:(1)AAthephysician s beliefthata medicalemergencynecessitatedthe abortion;and(2)AAthemedicalconditionof (c)AAA physicianperformingor inducingan abortionunderthissectionshallmaintainin the physician s practicerecordsacopyof the notationsmadeunderSubsection(b).

5 (a)AAThissubchapterdoesnot createor recognizea rightto abortionbeforeafetalheartbeatis detected.(b)AAThissubchaptermay not be construedto:(1)AAauthorizetheinitiationo f a causeof actionagainstor theprosecutionof a womanon whoman abortionisperformedor inducedor attemptedto be performedor inducedinviolationof thissubchapter;(2)AAwhollyor partlyrepeal,eitherexpresslyor byimplication,anyotherstatutethatregulat esor prohibitsabortion,includingChapter6-1/2, Title71, RevisedStatutes;or(3)AArestricta politicalsubdivisionfromregulatingor prohibitingabortionin a mannerthatis at leastas stringentasthe lawsof (a) anyotherlaw,therequirementsof thissubchaptershallbe enforcedexclusivelythroughthe privatecivilactionsdescribedin thissubchapter,and no enforcementof Chapters19and 22, PenalCode,in responseto violationsof thissubchapter,may be takenor threatenedby thisstate,a politicalsubdivision,adistrictor countyattorney,or an executiveor administrativeofficeror employeeof thisstateor a politicalsubdivisionagainstany person,exceptas providedin (b)AASubsection(a) may not be construedto:(1)AAlegalizethe conductprohibitedby thissubchapteror by Chapter6-1/2,Title71, RevisedStatutes;(2)AAlimitin anywayor affecttheavailabilityof aremedyestablishedby.

6 Or(3)AAlimittheenforceabilityof anyotherlawsthatregulateor AIDINGORABETTINGVIOLATION.(a)AAAnyperson ,otherthanan officeroremployeeof a stateor localgovernmentalentityin thisstate,maybringa civilactionagainstany personwho:(1)AAperformsor inducesan abortionin violationofthissubchapter;(2)AAknowingly engagesin conductthataidsor abetsthe performanceor inducementof an abortion,includingpayingforor reimbursingthecostsof an abortionthroughinsuranceorotherwise,if the abortionis performedor inducedin violationofthissubchapter,regardlessof whetherthepersonknewor shouldhaveknownthattheabortionwouldbe performedor inducedinviolationof thissubchapter;or(3)AAintendsto engagein theconductdescribedbySubdivision(1) or (2).(b)AAIf a claimantprevailsin an actionbroughtunderthissection,the courtshallaward:(1)AAinjunctivereliefsuf ficienttopreventthedefendantfromviolatin gthissubchapteror engagingin actsthataid or abetviolationsof thissubchapter; (2)AAstatutorydamagesin an amountof notlessthan$10,000for eachabortionthatthe defendantperformedor inducedin violationof thissubchapter,and for eachabortionperformedorinducedin violationof thissubchapterthatthe defendantaidedorabetted;and(3)AAcostsand attorney s fees.

7 (c)AANotwithstandingSubsection(b),a courtmaynotawardreliefunderthissectionin responseto a violationof Subsection(a)(1)or (2)if thedefendantdemonstratesthatthedefendant previouslypaidthefullamountof statutorydamagesunderSubsection(b)(2)in a previousactionfor thatparticularabortionperformedor inducedin violationof thissubchapter,or fortheparticularconductthataidedor abettedan abortionperformedorinducedin violationof thissubchapter.(d)AANotwithstandingChapt er16, CivilPracticeand RemediesCode,or anyotherlaw,a personmaybringan actionunderthissectionnot laterthanthe fourthanniversaryof the datethe causeof actionaccrues.(e)AANotwithstandingany otherlaw,the followingare not adefenseto an actionbroughtunderthissection:(1)AAignor anceor mistakeof law;(2)AAa defendant s beliefthatthe requirementsof thissubchapterare unconstitutionalor wereunconstitutional;(3)AAa defendant s relianceon any courtdecisionthathas beenoverruledon appealor by a subsequentcourt,evenif thatcourtdecisionhad not beenoverruledwhenthe defendantengagedinconductthatviolatesthi ssubchapter; (4)AAa defendant s relianceon anystateor federalcourtdecisionthatis not bindingon the courtin whichthe actionhas beenbrought;(5)AAnon-mutualissuepreclusi onor non-mutualclaimpreclusion;(6)AAtheconsen tof theunbornchild s motherto theabortion.

8 Or(7)AAany claimthatthe enforcementof thissubchapteror theimpositionof civilliabilityagainstthedefendantwillvio latetheconstitutionalrightsof thirdparties,exceptasprovidedby (f)AAIt is an affirmativedefenseif:(1)AAa personsuedunderSubsection(a)(2)reasonabl ybelieved,afterconductinga reasonableinvestigation,thatthephysician performingor inducingthe abortionhad compliedor wouldcomplywiththissubchapter;or(2)AAa personsuedunderSubsection(a)(3)reasonabl ybelieved,afterconductinga reasonableinvestigation,thatthephysician performingor inducingthe abortionwillcomplywiththissubchapter.(f- 1)AAThe defendanthas the burdenof provingan affirmativedefenseunderSubsection(f)(1)o r (2)by a preponderanceof theevidence.(g)AAThissectionmay not be construedto imposeliabilityonany speechor conductprotectedby the FirstAmendmentof the UnitedStatesConstitution,as madeapplicableto the statesthroughtheUnitedStatesSupremeCourt s interpretationof theUnitedStatesConstitution,or by Section8,ArticleI, TexasConstitution.

9 (h)AANotwithstandinganyotherlaw,thisstat e,a stateofficial,or a districtor countyattorneymay not intervenein persondescribedby thissubsectionfromfilinganamicuscuriaebr iefin the action.(i)AANotwithstandinganyotherlaw,a courtmaynotawardcostsor attorney s feesunderthe TexasRulesof CivilProcedureorany otherruleadoptedby the ,GovernmentCode,to a defendantin an actionbroughtunderthissection.(j)AANotwi thstandingany otherlaw,a civilactionunderthissectionmay not be broughtby a personwho impregnatedthe abortionpatientthroughan act of rape,sexualassault,incest,or any otheract prohibitedby , ,or , :UNDUEBURDENDEFENSELIMITATIONS.(a)AAA defendantagainstwhoman actionis havestandingto assertthe rightsofwomenseekingan abortionas a defenseto liabilityunderthatsectionunless:(1)AAthe UnitedStatesSupremeCourtholdsthatthecour tsof thisstatemustconferstandingon thatdefendanttoassertthe third-partyrightsof womenseekingan abortionin statecourtas a matterof federalconstitutionallaw;or(2)AAthe defendanthas standingto assertthe rightsofwomenseekingan abortionunderthe testsfor the UnitedStatesSupremeCourt.

10 (b)AAA defendantin an assertan affirmativedefenseto liabilityunderthissectionif:(1)AAthedefe ndanthasstandingtoassertthethird-partyri ghtsof a womanor groupof womenseekingan abortionin accordancewithSubsection(a);and(2)AAthe defendantdemonstratesthatthe reliefsoughtby the claimantwillimposean undueburdenon thatwomanor thatgroupof womenseekingan abortion.(c)AAA courtmaynotfindan undueburdenunderSubsection(b) unlessthe defendantintroducesevidenceprovingthat:( 1)AAan awardof reliefwillpreventa womanor a groupof womenfromobtainingan abortion;or(2)AAan awardof reliefwillplacea substantialobstaclein the pathof a womanor a groupof womenwho are seekingan abortion.(d)AAA defendantmay not establishan undueburdenunderthissectionby:(1)AAmerel ydemonstratingthatan awardof reliefwillpreventwomenfromobtainingsuppo rtor assistance,financialorotherwise,fromothe rsin theireffortto obtainan abortion;or(2)AAarguingor attemptingto demonstratethatan awardof reliefagainstotherdefendantsor otherpotentialdefendantswillimposean undueburdenon womenseekingan abortion.