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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 727
BY REPRESENTATIVES IVEY AND HODGES
ABORTION: Requires provision of psychological health information prior to abortion
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 40:1299.35.5.2, relative to consent to abortion; to require provision of2
information concerning risks of psychiatric and psychological harms associated with3
abortion; to require the Department of Health and Hospitals to develop and publish4
certain Internet-based resources relative to abortion; to provide for a task force on5
pre-abortion counseling; and to provide for related matters.6
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7
Section 1. R.S. 40:1299.35.5.2 is hereby enacted to read as follows:8
ยง1299.35.5.2. Psychological health information required prior to abortion; task force9
A. Prior to undergoing an elective abortion as defined in R.S. 40:1299.35.1,10
and as a condition for consent to the abortion to be deemed voluntary and informed,11
a physician shall obtain a signed statement on a form to be prepared by and obtained12
from the Department of Health and Hospitals and kept within the woman's medical13
record for a period of at least seven years, stating that the woman has been given14
information on resources that she can review to learn the increased risks of15
psychiatric and psychological harms associated with abortion.16
B. The Department of Health and Hospitals shall create printable Internet-17
based resources that include telephone numbers and links to Internet websites of18
nonprofit organizations that provide confidential helplines to give women free access19
to professional and lay counselors who are trained and compassionate in helping20 HLS 14RS-1366 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 727
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those who are considering abortion or who are experiencing psychiatric or1
psychological distress after an abortion.2
C. The governor shall appoint a task force to assist the Department of Health3
and Hospitals in the preparation of the printed and Internet materials provided for in4
this Section. The task force shall be comprised of the following members:5
(1) One psychologist licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of6
Psychologists.7
(2) One physician who is board certified as a psychiatrist and licensed by the8
Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.9
(3) One layperson who provides pre-abortion or post-abortion counseling in10
association with a nonprofit organization that does not counsel for or provide11
abortion.12
Section 2. The Louisiana State Law Institute is hereby authorized and requested to13
redesignate the number of any Section of statute amended or enacted by this Act in a manner14
that comports with the provisions of the Act which originated as House Bill No. ____ of this15
2014 Regular Session of the Legislature.16
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Ivey HB No. 727
Abstract: Requires provision of psychological health information prior to abortion.
Proposed law requires that prior to undergoing an elective abortion, and as a condition for
consent to the abortion to be deemed voluntary and informed, a physician shall obtain a
signed statement on a form to be prepared by and obtained from the Department of Health
and Hospitals (DHH) and kept within the woman's medical record for a period of at least
seven years, stating that the woman has been given information on resources that she can
review to learn the increased risks of psychiatric and psychological harms associated with
abortion.
Proposed law requires DHH to create printable Internet-based resources that include
telephone numbers and links to websites of nonprofit organizations that provide confidential
helplines to give women free access to professional and lay counselors who are trained and
compassionate in helping those who are considering abortion or who are experiencing
psychiatric or psychological distress after an abortion. HLS 14RS-1366 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 727
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
Proposed law provides that the governor shall appoint a task force to assist DHH in the
preparation of the printed and Internet materials provided for in proposed law. Provides that
the task force shall be comprised of the following members:
(1)One psychologist licensed by the La. State Board of Examiners of Psychologists.
(2)One physician who is board certified as a psychiatrist and licensed by the La. State
Board of Medical Examiners.
(3)One layperson who provides pre-abortion or post-abortion counseling in association
with a nonprofit organization that does not counsel for or provide abortion.
(Adds R.S. 40:1299.35.5.2)