Abortion; informed written consent. (SB1424)

Introduced By

Sen. Mamie Locke (D-Hampton) with support from co-patron Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Abortion; informed written consent. Provides that a woman seeking an abortion may waive in writing any requirement establishing a mandatory time period or mandating that a physician provide to or review with the woman specific information or materials before an abortion may be performed. The bill requires that a copy of such waiver be maintained in the woman's medical records. The bill also provides that, regardless of any waiver, a physician is still obligated to satisfy the applicable standard of care. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/12/2017Presented and ordered printed 17103869D
01/12/2017Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/17/2017Impact statement from VDH (SB1424)
01/18/2017Rereferred from Courts of Justice (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/18/2017Rereferred to Education and Health
01/26/2017Passed by indefinitely in Education and Health (8-Y 7-N) (see vote tally)

Duplicate Bills

The following bills are identical to this one: HB2286.

Comments

ACLU-VA Women's Rights and Reproductive Freedom, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU of Virginia strongly supports HB1424, which would give back to patients their right to true informed consent by allowing them to waive non-medical, ideological, and medically unnecessary state requirements that are not intended to enhance informed consent. Each patient needs to be able to trust her doctor is providing her with timely care, free from judgment and stigma. Virginia law currently requires physicians to communicate biased information about abortion to their patients, perform unnecessary diagnostic testing, and to delay care for 24 hours against their patient’s wishes. These laws violate the basic tenants of informed consent, and delay a woman’s ability to access safe, legal abortion care by requiring multiple trips to a clinic for no other reason than to show the state’s disapproval of a woman’s personal, constitutionally protected medical decision. This bill would allow a woman and her doctor to determine which actions and information would add to her ability to make an informed medical decision, not politicians.

ACLU-VA Legislative Agenda, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU of Virginia strongly supports HB1424, which would give back to patients their right to true informed consent by allowing them to waive non-medical, ideological, and medically unnecessary state requirements that are not intended to enhance informed consent. Each patient needs to be able to trust her doctor is providing her with timely care, free from judgment and stigma. Virginia law currently requires physicians to communicate biased information about abortion to their patients, perform unnecessary diagnostic testing, and to delay care for 24 hours against their patient’s wishes. These laws violate the basic tenants of informed consent, and delay a woman’s ability to access safe, legal abortion care by requiring multiple trips to a clinic for no other reason than to show the state’s disapproval of a woman’s personal, constitutionally protected medical decision. This bill would allow a woman and her doctor to determine which actions and information would add to her ability to make an informed medical decision, not politicians.