Senate Bill 805 would allow the Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support program to cover the expenses associated with the abortion pill reversal.
The West Virginia Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support Program is a state program housed within the Bureau for Public Health that provides funding to pregnancy help organizations across the state and will not provide funding to any abortion industry organizations.
The bill defined “abortion pill reversal” as the use of progesterone by a licensed health care provider for the purpose of counteracting the effects of ingested mifepristone as part of a chemical abortion.
The term “chemical abortion” is defined as the use or prescription of an abortion-inducing drug dispensed with the intent to cause an abortion. Further definitions in the bill can be found in code §16-66-1.
The bill is intended to allow women who decided no longer to follow through with an abortion to reverse the abortion using the medication.
It has not been proven by a major medical organization or by scientific evidence that the medication reverses abortions. Members of the body stated witnessing and hearing successful stories of women using the medication to reverse an abortion.
The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage, first being sent to the committee on Finance.
Senate Bill 795 would permit parents, guardians, or custodians to pay for an independent evaluation if their child is in temporary protective custody.
A child could be placed in temporary protective custody for, but not limited to, the following reasons:
- The child is without supervision or shelter for an unreasonable period, considering the child’s age and ability to care for themselves in those circumstances, presenting an immediate threat of serious harm to the child.
- The officer determines that the child is in a condition requiring emergency medical treatment by a physician, and the child’s guardian or custodian refuses to provide the child with emergency medical treatment.
- A child is suffering from a condition that needs emergency medical treatment, and the guardian or custodian refuses to provide the child with emergency treatment.
The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.
Senate Bill 862 would repeal the Addiction Treatment Pilot Program, which is no longer in operation.
The program, previously overseen by the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, provided a framework for pilot efforts in treating drug addiction and required annual reporting on its progress.
The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.
