Bill > HB0117

This bill, titled "Stop harm-empower women with informed notices," aims to enhance informed consent requirements for abortions and provide legal recourse for women who experience harm. It establishes that informed consent is crucial for medical decisions and specifically addresses the unique considerations for abortion, emphasizing the need for women to receive complete and accurate information about abortion and its alternatives, including information about the fetus's development and potential consequences. The bill defines key terms such as "abortion-inducing drug," "chemical abortion," "coercion," and "informed consent," which includes specific written information about the procedure, risks, alternatives, and the woman's right to withdraw consent without penalty, and mandates that informed written consent be provided at least 24 hours before an abortion. Furthermore, it creates a civil cause of action allowing an "interested party" (defined as the woman or, in certain circumstances, her spouse, father of the unborn child, or guardian, excluding abusers) to sue any person who performs an elective abortion if the woman was harmed due to lack of voluntary informed consent, coercion, or negligent, reckless, or intentional conduct by the provider, with potential damages including at least $25,000 in liquidated remedial damages, compensatory damages, and attorney fees. The bill also allows for legislative sponsors to intervene in legal challenges to its constitutionality and amends existing law to include violations of these new abortion provisions under the definition of medical malpractice for governmental entities, with the act taking effect on July 1, 2026.