WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2024 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

Senate Bill 558

By Senator  Azinger

[Introduced January 25, 2024; referred
to the Committee on Education; and then to the Committee on Health and Human Resources]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §18B-22-1, §18B-22-2, §18B-22-3, and §18B-22-4, all relating to requiring  publicly funded medical schools to teach the most current evidence-based, life-saving methods including abortion pill reversal; providing definitions; setting forth consequences for noncompliance of standard education practices; and providing finding that this article is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE  22.  publicly-funded medical schools to teach the most current evidence-based, life-saving methods including abortion pill reversal.

§18B-22-1.  Legislative findings.

(1) The Legislature finds and declares that:

(a) Informed consent is a fundamental practice of quality medical services;

(b) The preborn child is human and alive from the moment of fertilization;

(c) Medical practitioners should be educated on all life-saving procedures relevant to their field;

(d) Progesterone is a hormone essential to the life and development of preborn children which is negatively targeted by the medication abortion chemical mifepristone or RU-486;

(e) Regret after taking the first chemical abortion pill, mifepristone, is real and women have the right to medical procedures attempting to save the life of their preborn child;

(f) According to the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG), reversal of a medication abortion is possible via the abortion pill reversal process if attempted within the first 72 hours, although not guaranteed;

(g) Treatment of ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage are essential life-saving care; and

(h) Publicly-funded medical schools should be required to teach the most current evidence-based, life-saving methods including abortion pill reversal.

(2) Therefore, the Legislature finds and declares it necessary to require all publicly-funded medical schools to teach standard high-risk pregnancy treatment methods including abortion pill reversal, treatment of ectopic pregnancies, and miscarriage treatment.

(3) The Legislature also finds and declares that:

(a) Unfortunately, some preborn children develop prenatal conditions which are considered life-limiting, where the preborn child will not survive birth or survive long after birth;

(b) The majority of prenatal diagnoses for life-limiting conditions are false positives; and

(c) Parents are known to process grief and heal from the loss of their child leading to better mental health outcomes when they are allowed to see their child after birth.

(4) Therefore, the Legislature finds and declares it necessary to require all publicly-funded medical schools to teach perinatal hospice as an essential part of pre and postnatal care.

§18B-22-2.  Definitions.

As used in this article:

"Abortion pill reversal" means the procedure developed by Dr. George Delgado, MD where high dose oral progesterone is prescribed to a woman within 72 hours of taking mifepristone to reverse the effects of the medication abortion via competitive enzyme inhibition.

"Ectopic pregnancy treatment" means to the following procedures: salpingostomy, salpingectomy, or treatment via methotrexate.

"Informed consent" means the process in which a physician conveys the risks, benefits and alternatives to a procedure, especially medication abortion.

"Medication abortion" means the two-pill process of mifepristone or misoprostol (or any medication or combination developed thereafter) in which the hormone progesterone is blocked during a pregnancy with the intention of ending the life of a preborn child.

"Miscarriage treatment" means the use if a dilation and curettage procedure to be used only in the case where first line of treatment procedures including expectant and medical management are ineffective.

"Perinatal hospice" means palliative care provided to preborn children who are expected to be born with life-limiting conditions but are given the opportunity at life, allowing parents to be parents.

"Publicly-funded medical school" means any medical education institution which received local, state, or federal funding.

§18B-22-3. Consequences for Noncompliance of Standard Education Practices.

Any publicly-funded medical school which does not comply and implement standard education practices by aiding in the education of their students regarding abortion pill reversal shall face the possibility of losing state funding following review by the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability.

§18B-22-4. Safety clause.

The Legislature hereby finds, determines, and declares that this article is necessary for the immediate preservation, of the public peace, health, or safety.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require  publicly-funded medical schools to teach the most current evidence-based, life-saving methods including abortion pill reverse.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.