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Bill > SB837


PA SB837

PA SB837
In provisions relating to abortion, repealing provisions relating to short title of chapter and to legislative intent, further providing for definitions, repealing provisions relating to medical consultation and judgment, to informed consent, to parental consent, to abortion facilities, to printed information, to Commonwealth interference prohibited, to spousal notice, to determination of gestational age, to abortion on unborn child of 24 or more weeks gestational age, to infanticide, to prohibi


summary

Introduced
06/27/2025
In Committee
06/27/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

Amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses), 35 (Health and Safety) and 40 (Insurance) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in provisions relating to abortion, repealing provisions relating to short title of chapter and to legislative intent, further providing for definitions, repealing provisions relating to medical consultation and judgment, to informed consent, to parental consent, to abortion facilities, to printed information, to Commonwealth interference prohibited, to spousal notice, to determination of gestational age, to abortion on unborn child of 24 or more weeks gestational age, to infanticide, to prohibited acts and to reporting, further providing for publicly owned facilities, public officials and public funds and for fetal experimentation and repealing provisions relating to civil penalties, to criminal penalties, to State Board of Medicine and State Board of Osteopathic Medicine and to construction; providing for reproductive rights; repealing provisions relating to compliance with Federal health care legislation as to regulation of insurers and related persons generally; imposing penalties; and making an editorial change.

AI Summary

This bill comprehensively reforms Pennsylvania's laws related to reproductive rights and abortion, fundamentally changing the legal framework surrounding reproductive healthcare. The bill repeals numerous existing restrictive provisions in the state's abortion regulations and establishes a new "Reproductive Freedom Act" that explicitly protects an individual's right to make reproductive healthcare decisions. Key provisions include establishing abortion and reproductive choice as a fundamental right, prohibiting interference with contraception and abortion access, protecting individuals from reproductive coercion, and removing previous requirements like mandatory spousal notification, parental consent for minors, and waiting periods. The legislation also creates new legal protections for healthcare providers, prevents discrimination against abortion providers, and allows for telemedicine abortion services. The bill defines reproductive coercion broadly, including actions like isolating an individual, controlling their movements, or threatening harm, and provides civil remedies for victims. Notably, the bill shifts the legal framework from viewing abortion as a heavily regulated medical procedure to treating it as a fundamental personal healthcare decision, with an emphasis on individual autonomy, privacy, and freedom of choice.

Committee Categories

Justice

Sponsors (14)

Last Action

Referred to Judiciary (on 06/27/2025)

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