The bill amends the Arkansas Human Life Protection Act and the Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act to introduce specific exceptions for abortions under certain circumstances. These exceptions include cases where the pregnancy results from incest or rape, provided that a report has been filed with law enforcement, as well as situations involving a fetal abnormality incompatible with life. Additionally, the bill allows for abortions to save the health of the mother in a medical emergency, which is defined more broadly to include health as well as life-threatening conditions.

Key modifications to the definition of "medical emergency" are made, expanding it to encompass situations where the health of the pregnant woman is endangered. The language changes include the insertion of terms such as "or health" and "health-endangering," while deleting the term "physical" from previous definitions. The bill aims to clarify the conditions under which abortions may be legally performed, thereby providing more comprehensive protections for women facing difficult circumstances during pregnancy.

Statutes affected:
HB 1880: 5-61-303(3), 5-61-304(a), 5-61-403(3), 5-61-404(a)