H. B. 2897


(By Delegates Ashley, Hall and Faircloth)

[Introduced February 7, 2003; referred to the

Committee on Health and Human Resources then Finance.]





A BILL to amend article sixteen-b, chapter five of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section ten, relating to providing that unborn children are eligible for the children's health insurance program.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article sixteen-b, chapter five of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section ten, to read as follows:
 ARTICLE 16B. WEST VIRGINIA CHILDREN'S HEALTH PROGRAM.
§5-16B-10. Program eligibility for unborn children.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, unborn children are eligible for coverage under the program created by this article provided that they are otherwise eligible under the program's existing provisions.
(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed or interpreted to endorse, allow, permit or approve of any abortion.


NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide that unborn children are eligible for coverage under the Children's Health Insurance Program.

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.