West Virginia § 16-2R-8 Protection of aborted fetuses born alive

West Virginia Statutes

§ 16-2R-8 — Protection of aborted fetuses born alive

West Virginia § 16-2R-8

Ch. 16PUBLIC HEALTH

Art. 2RUNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT

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Bluebook

W. Va. Code § 16-2R-8 (2026).

Text

(a)Whenever a licensed medical professional performs or induces, or attempts to perform or induce an abortion and the child is born alive, the licensed medical professional shall:

(1)Exercise the same degree of reasonable medical judgment to preserve the life and health of the child in the same manner as the licensed medical professional would render to any child alive at birth of the same gestational age;

(2)Ensure that the child is immediately transported and admitted to an appropriate medical facility.

(b)Any licensed medical professional who knowingly and willfully violates subsection (a) of this section shall be considered to have breached the standard of care owed to patients and is subject to discipline from the appropriate licensure board for such conduct, including but not

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(a) Whenever a licensed medical professional performs or induces, or attempts to perform or induce an abortion and the child is born alive, the licensed medical professional shall:

(1) Exercise the same degree of reasonable medical judgment to preserve the life and health of the child in the same manner as the licensed medical professional would render to any child alive at birth of the same gestational age;

(2) Ensure that the child is immediately transported and admitted to an appropriate medical facility.

(b) Any licensed medical professional who knowingly and willfully violates subsection (a) of this section shall be considered to have breached the standard of care owed to patients and is subject to discipline from the appropriate licensure board for such conduct, including but not limited to loss of professional license to practice.

(c) Any person, not subject to subsection (a) of this section, who knowingly and willfully violates subsection (a) of this section is guilty of the unauthorized practice of medicine in violation of §30-3-13 of this code and, upon conviction thereof, is subject to the penalties contained in that section:Provided, That the provisions of this subsection (c) enacted during the third extraordinary session of the Legislature, 2022, shall be effective 90 days from passage.

(d) In addition to the penalties referenced in this section, a patient may seek any remedy otherwise available to the patient by applicable law.

(e) This section shall not be construed to subject any patient upon whom an abortion is performed or induced or attempted to be performed or induced to a criminal penalty for any violation of this section as a principal, accessory or accomplice, conspirator, or aider and abettor.