|
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 218 FILED ON: 1/8/2013 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1597
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _________________ PRESENTED BY: Tom Sannicandro and David Paul Linsky _______________ To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying: An Act relative to responsible counseling. _______________ PETITION OF:
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 218 FILED ON: 1/8/2013 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1597
An Act relative to responsible counseling. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: The second paragraph of section 12S of chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth sentences and inserting in place thereof the following language:— If a pregnant woman is less than eighteen years of age and has not married, no physician may perform an abortion upon her unless the attending physician has received and made part of the medical record the written consent of the pregnant woman and: (1)the written consent of a parent, a legal guardian, a foster parent, or an adult family member twenty-five years of age or older; or (2)the authorization of a judge of the superior court department of the trial court; or (3)the written certification by an authorized individual that he has counseled the pregnant woman regarding alternative choices available to manage the pregnancy and the option of involving the woman's parents, guardians, or other adult family members in her decision-making. An authorized individual shall be either a medical professional registered under section two, nine F, seventy-four, or seventy-four A of this chapter, or a mental health professional licensed under section one hundred nineteen or one hundred thirty-one of this chapter. The commissioner of public health shall prescribe a form for the authorized individual to use in certifying that he has provided counseling in accordance with this section. A family member shall be one of the pregnant woman’s grandparents or their lineal descendants, including those by adoption, and spouses of any such persons. |