50-20-401. Offense of partial-birth abortion -- exception -- definitions -- penalties. (1) Except as provided in this section, a person commits an offense if the person purposely, knowingly, or negligently causes a partial-birth abortion.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to:

(a) a partial-birth abortion caused to save the life of a woman because the woman's life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury, including a life-endangering condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, if no other medical procedure would save the life of the woman; or

(b) the woman upon whom a partial-birth abortion is performed.

(3) As used in this section, the following definitions apply:

(a) "Knowingly" has the meaning provided in 45-2-101.

(b) "Negligently" has the meaning provided in 45-2-101.

(c) (i) "Partial-birth abortion" means an abortion in which the person performing the abortion partially vaginally delivers a living human fetus before killing the fetus and completing the delivery.

(ii) A procedure that constitutes a partial-birth abortion is one in which the following steps occur:

(A) the living fetus is removed intact from the uterus until only the head remains in the uterus;

(B) all or a part of the intracranial contents of the fetus are evacuated;

(C) the head of the fetus is compressed; and

(D) following fetal demise, the fetus is removed from the birth canal.

(d) "Purposely" has the meaning provided in 45-2-101.

(4) A person committing the offense provided for in subsection (1) is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by:

(a) a fine of not more than $50,000;

(b) imprisonment in a correctional facility for a term of not less than 5 years and not more than 10 years; or

(c) both fine and imprisonment as provided in subsections (4)(a) and (4)(b); and

(d) permanent revocation of the license of the physician performing the partial-birth abortion. The provisions of 37-1-203 and 37-1-205 do not apply to a physician whose license is revoked pursuant to this section.

History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 314, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 479, L. 1999.