The "Born-Alive Infant Protection Act" aims to establish legal protections for infants who are born alive as a result of an attempted abortion in the State of Rhode Island. The bill defines "born-alive" or "live birth" as the complete expulsion or extraction of an infant from their mother that shows any evidence of life, regardless of gestational development. It mandates that healthcare providers must deliver medically appropriate and reasonable life-saving care to these infants, including immediate medical care if a live birth occurs during an abortion procedure.

The act prohibits denying nourishment or medical care to born-alive infants and specifies that any born-alive infant shall be treated as a legal person under state law, with the same rights to medically appropriate care and treatment. It outlines the responsibilities of medical personnel, including the requirement for physicians to take all medically appropriate steps to preserve the life and health of a born-alive infant.

Violations of the act are classified as felonies, with penalties including imprisonment for up to ten years and fines of up to $25,000. The act also allows for civil actions for compensatory and punitive damages and provides a basis for professional disciplinary actions against healthcare providers who fail to comply with its requirements, including automatic suspension of their license for at least one year upon conviction.

Additionally, the act clarifies that it does not create or recognize a right to abortion and does not alter existing federal or state laws regarding abortion. The provisions of the act will take effect upon passage.