Maryland 2022 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB535 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	sb0535
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 535
8	8	J1 2lr1025
9	9	SB 1067/18 – SRU
10	10	By: Senators Ready, Bailey, Edwards, Hershey, Salling, and Simonaire
11	11	Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2022
12	12	Assigned to: Finance
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Unborn Child Protection From Dismemberment Abortion Act 2
19	19
20	20	FOR the purpose of prohibiting, except under certain circumstances, the performance of or 3
21	21	the attempt to perform a dismemberment abortion that kills an unborn child on a 4
22	22	pregnant woman; providing for certain hearing proceedings before the State Board 5
23	23	of Physicians; authorizing certain individuals to bring certain legal actions against 6
24	24	an individual who has performed or attempted to perform a dismemberment 7
25	25	abortion; and generally relating to the Unborn Child Protection From 8
26	26	Dismemberment Abortion Act. 9
27	27
28	28	BY adding to 10
29	29	Article – Health – General 11
30	30	Section 20–217 through 20–223 to be under the new part “Part V. Unborn Child 12
31	31	Protection From Dismemberment Abortion Act” 13
32	32	Annotated Code of Maryland 14
33	33	(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 15
34	34
35	35	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
36	36	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
37	37
38	38	Article – Health – General 18
39	39
40	40	20–215. RESERVED. 19
41	41
42	42	20–216. RESERVED. 20
43	43
44	44	PART V. UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION FROM DISMEMBERMENT ABORTION 21
45	45	ACT. 22
46	46
47	47	20–217. 23 2 SENATE BILL 535
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51	(A) IN THIS PART THE FOLL OWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
52	52	INDICATED. 2
53	53
54	54	(B) “ABORTION” MEANS THE USE OF ANY INSTRUMENT , MEDICINE, DRUG, 3
55	55	OR ANY OTHER SUBSTANCE OR DEVI CE TO: 4
56	56
57	57	(1) PURPOSELY KILL THE UN BORN CHILD OF A PREG NANT WOMAN ; 5
58	58	OR 6
59	59
60	60	(2) PURPOSELY TERMINATE T HE PREGNANCY OF A PR EGNANT 7
61	61	WOMAN, WITH A PURPOSE OTHER THAN TO: 8
62	62
63	63	(I) AFTER VIABILITY, PRODUCE A LIVE BIRTH AND PRESERVE 9
64	64	THE LIFE AND HEALTH OF THE CHILD BORN ALIVE; OR 10
65	65
66	66	(II) REMOVE THE REMAINS OF A DEAD UNBORN CHILD . 11
67	67
68	68	(C) (1) “ATTEMPT TO PERFORM A DISMEMBERMENT ABORTI ON” MEANS 12
69	69	AN ACT OR AN OMISSIO N OF A STATUTORILY R EQUIRED ACT , THAT, UNDER THE 13
70	70	CIRCUMSTANCES AS THE INDIVIDUAL BELIEV ES THEM TO BE , CONSTITUTES A 14
71	71	SUBSTANTIAL STEP IN A COURSE OF CONDUCT PLANNED TO CULMINATE IN THE 15
72	72	PERFORMANCE OF A DIS MEMBERMENT ABORTION . 16
73	73
74	74	(2) “ATTEMPT TO PERFORM A DISMEMBERMENT ABORTI ON” 17
75	75	INCLUDES: 18
76	76
77	77	(I) AGREEING WITH AN INDI VIDUAL TO PERFORM A 19
78	78	DISMEMBERMENT ABORTION ON THE INDIVIDUAL OR ON ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL , 20
79	79	WHETHER OR NOT : 21
80	80
81	81	1. THE TERM “DISMEMBERMENT ABORTI ON” IS USED IN 22
82	82	THE AGREEMENT ; OR 23
83	83
84	84	2. THE AGREEMENT IS CONT INGENT ON ANOTHER 24
85	85	FACTOR SUCH AS RECEI PT OF PAYMENT OR A D ETERMINATION OF PRE GNANCY; AND 25
86	86
87	87	(II) SCHEDULING OR PLANNIN G A TIME TO PERFORM A 26
88	88	DISMEMBERMENT ABORTI ON ON AN INDIVIDUAL , WHETHER OR NOT : 27
89	89
90	90	1. THE TERM “DISMEMBERMENT ABORTI ON” IS USED; 28
91	91	OR 29
92	92
93	93	2. THE PERFORMANCE OF TH E DISMEMBERMENT 30 SENATE BILL 535 3
94	94
95	95
96	96	ABORTION IS CONTINGE NT ON ANOTHER FA CTOR SUCH AS RECEIPT OF PAYMENT OR 1
97	97	A DETERMINATION OF P REGNANCY. 2
98	98
99	99	(D) (1) “DISMEMBERMENT ABORTIO N” MEANS, WITH THE INTENT TO 3
100	100	CAUSE THE DEATH OF T HE UNBORN CHILD , TO PURPOSELY DISMEMB ER A LIVING 4
101	101	UNBORN CHILD BY USIN G CLAMPS, GRASPING FORCEPS , TONGS, SCISSORS, OR 5
102	102	SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS THAT, THROUGH THE CONVERGE NCE OF TWO RIGID LEV ERS, 6
103	103	SLICE, CRUSH, OR GRASP A PORTION O F THE UNBORN CHILD ’S BODY TO CUT OR RIP 7
104	104	IT OFF AND TO EXTRAC T THE PIECES OF THE BODY OF THE UNBORN C HILD ONE AT 8
105	105	A TIME WITH THE AFOR EMENTIONED D EVICES OR TOOLS OR B Y USE OF A SUCTION 9
106	106	DEVICE. 10
107	107
108	108	(2) “DISMEMBERMENT ABORTIO N” DOES NOT INCLUDE AN ABORTION 11
109	109	THAT ONLY USES SUCTI ON TO DISMEMBER THE BODY OF THE UNBORN C HILD BY 12
110	110	SUCKING FETAL PARTS IN THEIR ENTIRETY IN TO A COLLECTION CONT AINER. 13
111	111
112	112	(E) “PHYSICIAN” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 20–207 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 14
113	113
114	114	(F) “PURPOSELY” MEANS: 15
115	115
116	116	(1) REGARDING A MATERIAL ELEMENT OF A VIOLATI ON, AN 16
117	117	INDIVIDUAL’S CHOICE TO CONSCIOU SLY ENGAGE IN CONDUC T OF THAT NATURE OR 17
118	118	TO CAUSE THAT RESULT ; OR 18
119	119
120	120	(2) REGARDING AN ELEMENT THAT INVOLVES THE AT TENDANT 19
121	121	CIRCUMSTANCES OF A V IOLATION, THE INDIVIDUAL IS AW ARE OF THE EXISTENCE 20
122	122	OF THOSE CIRCUMSTANC ES OR BELIEVES OR HO PES THAT THOSE CIRCU MSTANCES 21
123	123	EXIST. 22
124	124
125	125	(G) (1) “SERIOUS HEALTH RISK T O THE PREGNANT WOMAN ” MEANS 23
126	126	THAT, IN THE REASONABLE ME DICAL JUDGMENT OF A PHYSICIAN, THE PREGNANT 24
127	127	WOMAN HAS A CONDITIO N THAT SO COMPLICATE S HER MEDICAL CONDIT ION THAT 25
128	128	IT NECESSITATES THE ABORTION OF HER PREG NANCY TO AVERT HER D EATH OR TO 26
129	129	AVERT A SERIOUS RISK OF SUBSTANTIAL AND I RREVERSIBLE PHYSICAL 27
130	130	IMPAIRMENT OF A MAJO R BODILY FUNCTION . 28
131	131
132	132	(2) “SERIOUS HEALTH RISK T O THE PREGNANT WOMAN ” DOES NOT 29
133	133	INCLUDE A PSYCHOLOGI CAL OR EMOTIONAL CON DITION, INCLUDING A CONDITIO N 30
134	134	THAT IS BASED ON A C LAIM OR DIAGNOSIS TH AT THE PREGNANT WOMA N WILL 31
135	135	ENGAGE IN CONDUCT THAT S HE INTENDS TO RESULT IN HER DEATH OR IN 32
136	136	SUBSTANTIAL AND IRRE VERSIBLE PHYSICAL IM PAIRMENT OF A MAJOR BODILY 33
137	137	FUNCTION. 34
138	138
139	139	(H) “WOMAN” MEANS A FEMALE HUMAN BEING OF ANY AGE . 35 4 SENATE BILL 535
140	140
141	141
142	142
143	143	20–218. 1
144	144
145	145	AN INDIVIDUAL MAY NOT PURPOSELY PERFORM OR ATTEMPT TO P ERFORM A 2
146	146	DISMEMBERMENT ABORTI ON THAT KILLS AN UNB ORN CHILD UNLESS THE 3
147	147	ABORTION IS NECESSAR Y TO PREVENT A SERIO US HEALTH RISK TO TH E PREGNANT 4
148	148	WOMAN. 5
149	149
150	150	20–219. 6
151	151
152	152	(A) AN INDIVIDUAL ACCUSED IN ANY PROCEEDING OF A VIOLATION OF § 7
153	153	20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE MAY SEEK A HEARING BEFORE THE STATE BOARD OF 8
154	154	PHYSICIANS ON WHETHER THE DISMEMBERMENT AB ORTION WAS NECESSARY TO 9
155	155	PREVENT A SERIOUS HE ALTH RISK TO THE PRE GNANT WOMAN . 10
156	156
157	157	(B) (1) THE STATE BOARD OF PHYSICIANS’ FINDINGS FROM A HEAR ING 11
158	158	UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION ARE ADMISSIB LE ON THAT ISSUE AT ANY 12
159	159	TRIAL IN WHICH A VIO LATION OF § 20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE IS ALLEGED. 13
160	160
161	161	(2) ON A MOTION OF THE DE FENDANT, THE COURT SHALL DELA Y THE 14
162	162	BEGINNING OF THE TRI AL FOR NOT MORE THAN 30 DAYS TO ALLOW FOR A HEARING 15
163	163	UNDER SUB SECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 16
164	164
165	165	(C) THE FOLLOWING INDIVID UALS MAY NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR 17
166	166	PERFORMING OR ATTEMP TING TO PERFORM A DI SMEMBERMENT ABORTION : 18
167	167
168	168	(1) THE PREGNANT WOMAN ON WHOM THE DISMEMBERME NT 19
169	169	ABORTION WAS PERFORM ED OR ATTEMPTED ; 20
170	170
171	171	(2) ANY NURSE, TECHNICIAN, SECRETARY, RECEPTIONIST , OR OTHER 21
172	172	EMPLOYEE OR AGENT OF A PHYSICIAN WHO PERF ORMED OR ATTEMPTED T O 22
173	173	PERFORM A DISMEMBERM ENT ABORTION WHO ACT S AT THE DIRECTION O F THE 23
174	174	PHYSICIAN; OR 24
175	175
176	176	(3) ANY PHARMACIST OR OTH ER INDIVIDUAL WHO IS NOT A 25
177	177	PHARMACIST BUT WHO FILLS A PRES CRIPTION OR PROVIDES INSTRUMENTS OR 26
178	178	MATERIALS USED IN A DISMEMBERMENT ABORTI ON AT THE DIRECTION OF OR TO A 27
179	179	PHYSICIAN WHO PERFOR MED OR ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM A DISMEMBERM ENT 28
180	180	ABORTION. 29
181	181
182	182	(D) THIS PART MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO PREVENT AN ABORTION FOR 30
183	183	ANY REASON, INCLUDING RAPE AND I NCEST, OR BY ANY OTHER METH OD. 31
184	184
185	185	20–220. 32 SENATE BILL 535 5
186	186
187	187
188	188
189	189	(A) (1) ANY OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS MAY BRIN G AN ACTION TO 1
190	190	OBTAIN A PERMANENT I NJUNCTION AGAINST AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS P ERFORMED 2
191	191	OR ATTEMPTED TO PERF ORM A DISMEMBERMENT ABORTION IN VIOLATIO N OF 3
192	192	§ 20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE 4
193	193	INDIVIDUAL RESIDES O R WHERE THE DISMEMBE RMENT ABORTION WAS 5
194	194	PERFORMED : 6
195	195
196	196	(I) A PREGNANT WOMAN ON WH OM A DISMEMBERMENT 7
197	197	ABORTION WAS PERFORM ED OR ATTEMPTED ; 8
198	198
199	199	(II) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS THE SPOUSE , THE PARENT OR 9
200	200	GUARDIAN, OR A LICENSED OR FOR MERLY LICENSED HEALT H CARE PROVIDER OF A 10
201	201	WOMAN ON WHOM A DISM EMBERMENT ABORTION W AS PERFORMED OR ATTE MPTED; 11
202	202	OR 12
203	203
204	204	(III) A PROSECUTING ATTORNEY WITH APPROPRIATE 13
205	205	JURISDICTION. 14
206	206
207	207	(2) THE INJUNCTION SHALL PREVENT THE DEFENDAN T FROM 15
208	208	PERFORMING OR ATTEMP TING TO PERFORM DISM EMBERMENT ABORTIONS IN 16
209	209	VIOLATION OF § 20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 17
210	210
211	211	(B) (1) THE FOLLOWING INDIVID UALS MAY BRING A CIV IL ACTION 18
212	212	AGAINST AN INDIVIDUA L WHO PERFORMED A DISMEMBE RMENT ABORTION IN 19
213	213	VIOLATION OF § 20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE: 20
214	214
215	215	(I) ANY WOMAN ON WHOM A D ISMEMBERMENT ABORTIO N HAS 21
216	216	BEEN PERFORMED IN VI OLATION OF § 20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE ; 22
217	217
218	218	(II) THE FATHER OF THE UNB ORN CHILD, IF MARRIED TO THE 23
219	219	WOMAN AT THE TIME THE DISM EMBERMENT ABORTION W AS PERFORMED ; OR 24
220	220
221	221	(III) IF THE PREGNANT WOMAN WAS A MINOR AT THE T IME OF 25
222	222	THE DISMEMBERMENT AB ORTION OR DIED AS A RESULT OF THE DISMEM BERMENT 26
223	223	ABORTION, THE MATERNAL GRANDPA RENTS OF THE UNBORN CHILD. 27
224	224
225	225	(2) (I) A CIVIL ACTION TAKEN U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 28
226	226	SUBSECTION MAY SEEK THE IMPOSITION OF DA MAGES AS SET FORTH I N 29
227	227	SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , AN INJUNCTION TO PRO HIBIT THE 30
228	228	INDIVIDUAL FROM CONT INUING THE VIOLATION , OR BOTH. 31
229	229
230	230	(II) THE COURT MAY AWARD : 32 6 SENATE BILL 535
231	231
232	232
233	233
234	234	1. MONETARY DAMAGES FOR ALL INJURIES INCURRE D 1
235	235	BY THE INDIVIDUAL AS A RESULT OF THE DISM EMBERMENT ABORTION , INCLUDING 2
236	236	PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PH YSICAL INJURIES; AND 3
237	237
238	238	2. STATUTORY DAMAGES EQU AL TO THREE TIMES TH E 4
239	239	COST OF THE DISMEMBE RMENT ABORTION . 5
240	240
241	241	(3) NO DAMAGES MAY BE AWA RDED TO A PLAINTIFF IF THE 6
242	242	PREGNANCY RESULTED F ROM THE PLAINTIFF ’S CRIMINAL CONDUCT . 7
243	243
244	244	(C) (1) IF A JUDGMENT IS REND ERED IN FAVOR OF THE PLAINTIFF IN AN 8
245	245	ACTION TAKEN UNDER S UBSECTION (A) OR (B) OF THIS SECTION, THE COURT SHALL 9
246	246	ORDER A REASONABLE ATTORNE Y’S FEE FOR THE PLAINT IFF AGAINST THE 10
247	247	DEFENDANT . 11
248	248
249	249	(2) IF A JUDGMENT IS REND ERED IN FAVOR OF THE DEFENDANT IN 12
250	250	AN ACTION TAKEN UNDE R SUBSECTION (A) OR (B) OF THIS SECTION AND THE COURT 13
251	251	FINDS THAT THE PLAIN TIFF’S SUIT WAS FRIVOLOUS AND BROUGHT IN BAD FAITH , 14
252	252	THE COURT SHALL ORDE R A REASONABLE ATTOR NEY’S FEE IN FAVOR OF TH E 15
253	253	DEFENDANT AGAINST TH E PLAINTIFF. 16
254	254
255	255	(3) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , A 17
256	256	COURT MAY NOT ASSESS AN ATTORNEY ’S FEE AGAINST THE WO MAN ON WHOM A 18
257	257	DISMEMBERMENT ABORTION W AS PERFORMED OR ATTE MPTED. 19
258	258
259	259	20–221. 20
260	260
261	261	(A) IN ANY CIVIL, CRIMINAL, OR ADMINISTRATIVE PR OCEEDING OR ACTION 21
262	262	BROUGHT UNDER THIS P ART, THE COURT SHALL DETE RMINE WHETHER THE 22
263	263	IDENTITY OF ANY WOMA N ON WHOM A DISMEMBE RMENT ABORTION WAS 23
264	264	PERFORMED OR ATTEMPTED SHALL B E PRESERVED FROM PUB LIC DISCLOSURE IF 24
265	265	SHE DOES NOT GIVE HE R CONSENT TO THE DIS CLOSURE. 25
266	266
267	267	(B) (1) IF A COURT FINDS THAT THE WOMAN ’S ANONYMITY SHOULD B E 26
268	268	PRESERVED UNDER SUBS ECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION, THE COURT SHALL : 27
269	269
270	270	(I) ISSUE A GAG ORDER TO THE PARTIES , WITNESSES, AND 28
271	271	COUNSEL; 29
272	272
273	273	(II) SEAL THE RECORD ; AND 30
274	274
275	275	(III) EXCLUDE UNAUTHORIZED INDIVIDUALS FROM THE 31 SENATE BILL 535 7
276	276
277	277
278	278	COURTROOM OR HEARING ROOM TO THE EXTENT N ECESSARY TO SAFEGUAR D HER 1
279	279	IDENTITY FROM PUBLIC DISCLOSURE. 2
280	280
281	281	(2) EACH ORDER ISSUED UN DER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 3
282	282	SUBSECTION SHALL BE ACCOMPANIED BY SPECI FIC WRITTEN FINDINGS 4
283	283	EXPLAINING: 5
284	284
285	285	(I) WHY THE IDENTITY OF T HE WOMAN SHOULD BE P RESERVED 6
286	286	FROM PUBLIC DISCLOSU RE; 7
287	287
288	288	(II) WHY THE ORDER IS ESSE NTIAL TO PRESERVING THE 8
289	289	WOMAN’S ANONYMITY; 9
290	290
291	291	(III) HOW THE ORDER IS NARR OWLY TAILORED TO SER VE THE 10
292	292	WOMAN’S INTERESTS; AND 11
293	293
294	294	(IV) WHY NO REASONABLE , LESS RESTRICTIVE ALT ERNATIVE 12
295	295	EXISTS. 13
296	296
297	297	(C) IN THE ABSENCE OF THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF T HE WOMAN ON WHOM 14
298	298	A DISMEMBERMENT ABOR TION WAS PERFORMED O R ATTEMPTED, ANY INDIVIDUAL 15
299	299	OTHER THAN A PUBLIC OFFICIAL WHO BRINGS AN ACTION UNDER § 20–220 OF THIS 16
300	300	SUBTITLE SHALL DO SO UNDER A PSEUDONYM . 17
301	301
302	302	(D) THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO CONC EAL THE IDENTITY OF 18
303	303	THE PLAINTIFF OR OF A WITNESS FROM THE D EFENDANT OR FRO M AN ATTORNEY 19
304	304	FOR THE DEFENDANT . 20
305	305
306	306	20–222. 21
307	307
308	308	THIS PART MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO CREATE OR RECOGNIZE A RIGHT TO 22
309	309	AN ABORTION OR A RIG HT TO A PARTICULAR M ETHOD OF ABORTION . 23
310	310
311	311	20–223. 24
312	312
313	313	THIS PART MAY BE CITE D AS THE “MARYLAND UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION 25
314	314	FROM DISMEMBERMENT ABORTION ACT”. 26
315	315
316	316	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 27
317	317	October 1, 2022. 28