House Bill No. introduced by K. Seekins-Crowe and others establishes the criminal offense of "abortion trafficking," which prohibits individuals from transporting an unborn child within or outside of Montana for the purpose of obtaining an abortion that is illegal in the state. The bill outlines that a person convicted of this offense may face a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both. Additionally, the bill amends Section 50-20-112 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to clarify penalties related to abortion-related offenses, including the imposition of penalties against the mother of an unborn child for violations of the new abortion trafficking provision.

The bill also includes several new sections, such as a codification instruction indicating that the new abortion trafficking offense will be integrated into Title 50, chapter 20, part 1 of the MCA. Furthermore, it specifies that the act will take effect upon passage and approval, and it will apply to acts committed on or after the effective date. Notably, the bill deletes the previous provision that prohibited penalties from being imposed against the woman upon whom the abortion is performed, allowing for penalties to be imposed in cases of abortion trafficking.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 50-20-112
HB0609_1(1): 50-20-112
HB0609_1(10): 50-20-112
HB0609_1(11): 50-20-112
HB0609_1(2): 50-20-112
HB0609_1(3): 50-20-112
HB0609_1(4): 50-20-112
HB0609_1(5): 50-20-112
HB0609_1(6): 50-20-112
HB0609_1(7): 50-20-112
HB0609_1(8): 50-20-112
HB0609_1(9): 50-20-112
HB0609_1: 50-20-112