2021 House Bill 5289

Repeal criminal sanctions on willfully causing a miscarriage

Introduced in the House

Sept. 14, 2021

Introduced by Rep. Kyra Bolden (D-35)

To repeal a 1931 law that defines willfully giving a pregnant women drugs or using instruments intended to procure a miscarriage (abortion) as criminal manslaughter. Enforcement of this state statute was prohibited by the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which held that restricting a woman's access to abortion violated an individual's right to privacy recognized by the due process clause of the 14th amendment.

Referred to the Committee on Health Policy