H. B. 2946
(By Delegates Wakim and Hall)
[Introduced February 10, 2003; referred to the
Committee on Health and Human Resources then the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend article forty-two, chapter thirty-three of the code
of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section
nine, relating to providing that when, during the course of an
abortion procedure, a fetus is aborted alive, that all
available medical means be utilized to preserve it's life;
prescribing criminal penalties for violations of the section.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article forty-two, chapter thirty-three of the code of
West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section nine,
to read as follows:
ARTICLE 42. WOMEN'S ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE ACT.
ยง33-42-9. Requirement to preserve life when fetus aborted alive.
In cases in which, during the course of an abortion procedure,
a fetus is aborted alive, it is required that all available medical
means be utilized to preserve, promote and maintain its life. Any
person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a
felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than
one thousand nor more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned in
a correctional facility for not less than one nor more than three
years, or both fined and imprisoned. Nothing in this section may
be construed or interpreted to endorse, allow, permit, or approve
of any abortion.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to
provide that when,
during the course of an abortion procedure, a fetus is aborted
alive, that all available medical means be utilized to preserve
it's life.
The bill would make a violation of the section a
felony.
This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.