SB67 Disposition of Fetal Remains

Pro-Life Utah
01/27/2020

UPDATE 2/20/20: SB67 Disposition of Fetal Remains PASSED out of committee 8-3! It now moves to the House Floor for debate/vote. Contact your House Representative & urge them to vote YES! Find them here: https://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp

A very sincere THANK YOU to the committee members who voted in favor! Votes: https://le.utah.gov/mtgvotes.jsp?voteid=15610

Watch the committee meeting here:

UPDATE 2/10/20: SB67 PASSED the Senate today with a vote of 21-6! The bill now goes to the House! Stay tuned for House committee updates & action items!

Votes: https://le.utah.gov/DynaBill/svotes.jsp?sessionid=2020GS&voteid=142&house=S

Watch the Senate Floor debate here: https://le.utah.gov/av/floorArchive.jsp?markerID=109226

THANK YOU to Senator Curt Bramble for sponsoring this important legislation! Rep. Karianne Lisonbee will be the Floor sponsor in the House!

UPDATE 1/31/20: SB67 Disposition of Fetal Remains PASSED out of committee 4-2! It now moves to the Senate Floor for debate/vote.

Votes: https://le.utah.gov/mtgvotes.jsp?voteid=14529

Watch the committee meeting here: https://www.facebook.com/ProLifeUtah/videos/2843124739043146/

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SB67 Disposition of Fetal Remains

Bill sponsor: Senator Curt Bramble
Floor sponsor: Representative Karianne Lisonbee

Link to the bill: https://le.utah.gov/~2020/bills/static/SB0067.html

Listen to this interview with Senator Bramble on the Rod Arquette show 1/29/20: https://www.facebook.com/ProLifeUtah/videos/160832398704821/

Every human being deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, in life and in death. We support treating human bodies with dignity and not desecration. Regardless of age, born or unborn, no human remains should end up as medical waste. As Archbishop Joseph F. Nauman said of a similar bill in Congress, this bill is "in keeping with society's treatment of all other deceased persons".

Why does Utah need a fetal remains bill?

* Parents should have the right to choose the final disposition of fetal remains if they desire. It merely puts the CHOICE in the hands of the woman, or parents in the case of a miscarriage. Nothing is required of parents if they wish for the healthcare facility to provide for the final disposition.

*Giving a woman the right to choose how her baby is disposed of, if she so desires, provides closure and comfort. Women who miscarry or abort their babies are often deal with grief and regret when not given the chance to decide how the remains of their baby is disposed of.

*Human remains should be treated with dignity and respect. Healthcare facilities are required to handle the fetal remains with respect and dignity rather than being tossed in with other medical waste.

*The bill provides for the out of state transport of fetal remains should a woman who has miscarried desire that. Current Utah law does not allow for a woman who miscarries in the state to transport her baby home for burial.

This bill:

requires a health care facility having possession of an aborted fetus or miscarried fetus to provide for the final disposition of the fetal remains;
requires a health care facility to provide certain information to a woman regarding the disposition of an aborted fetus or miscarried fetus;
requires a health care provider to notify a woman regarding the right to determine the final disposition of the remains of the aborted fetus before performing an abortion;