This bill amends Iowa law concerning abortions, particularly focusing on informed consent, the dispensing of abortion-inducing drugs, and the reporting of complications. It redefines "abortion" to exclude spontaneous terminations of pregnancy, or miscarriages, if not all products of conception are expelled. The legislation mandates that physicians conduct in-person examinations of women seeking abortions to screen for coercion or abuse and requires them to provide detailed information about the risks associated with abortion-inducing drugs before prescribing them. Physicians who fail to comply with these requirements may face disciplinary action. The bill also establishes strict guidelines for the dispensing of abortion-inducing drugs, prohibiting their distribution outside of healthcare settings and requiring the reporting of any complications within 30 days.

Additionally, the bill introduces provisions for legal recourse for women who have undergone or attempted a chemical abortion, allowing them and their personal representatives to seek compensatory and punitive damages, along with statutory damages of $50,000, court costs, and reasonable attorney fees. It ensures the privacy of women by mandating that their identities be redacted from legal documents without a court order and clarifies that the bill does not impose civil or criminal liability on the women involved. The bill also expands reporting requirements for healthcare providers regarding spontaneous terminations of pregnancy, now requiring the disclosure of both mifepristone and misoprostol usage, and whether these drugs were ingested within 14 days prior to the termination, with non-compliance potentially leading to disciplinary action.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 146B.1, 146A.1, 144.29A