H. B. 2313


(By Delegates Brown and Hatfield)

[Introduced January 9, 2008; referred to the

Committee on Health and Human Resources then the Judiciary.]





A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §16-5B-13a, relating to hospitals and similar institutions; and requiring any faith-based facility that counsels women regarding contraception, abortion or pregnancy to maintain a quality assurance program.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §16-5B-13a, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 5B. HOSPITALS AND SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS.
§16-5B-13a. Faith-based facilities counseling women regarding contraception, abortion or pregnancy; quality assurance program required.

(a) Any facility that counsels women regarding contraception, abortion, pregnancy or any matter related thereto shall establish and maintain a quality assurance program run by a quality assurance committee of at least four staff members who must meet at least quarterly to review standards and procedures for the facility.
(b) A written report of each meeting shall be filed with the Department of Health and Human Resources.
(c) Nothing in this section may be construed or interpreted to condone, permit, allow or endorse any form of coercion of a woman regarding any means of contraception, abortion, childbirth or childcare.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require any faith-based facility that counsels women regarding contraception, abortion or pregnancy to maintain a quality assurance program.

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