West Virginia § 61-2-30 Recognizing an embryo or fetus as a distinct unborn victim of certain crimes of violence against the person

West Virginia Statutes

§ 61-2-30 — Recognizing an embryo or fetus as a distinct unborn victim of certain crimes of violence against the person

West Virginia § 61-2-30

Ch. 61CRIMES AND THEIR PUNISHMENT

Art. 2CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON

This text of West Virginia § 61-2-30 (Recognizing an embryo or fetus as a distinct unborn victim of certain crimes of violence against the person) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

W. Va. Code § 61-2-30 (2026).

Text

(a)This section may be known and cited as the Unborn Victims of Violence Act.

(b)For the purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply:Provided, That these definitions only apply for purposes of prosecution of unlawful acts under this section and may not otherwise be used:

(i)To create or to imply that a civil cause of action exists; or (ii) for purposes of argument in a civil cause of action, unless there has been a criminal conviction under this section.

(1)"Embryo" means the developing human in its early stages. The embryonic period commences at fertilization and continues to the end of the embryonic period and the beginning of the fetal period, which occurs eight weeks after fertilization or 10 weeks after the onset of the last menstrual period.

(2)"Fetus" mea

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(a) This section may be known and cited as the Unborn Victims of Violence Act.

(b) For the purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply:Provided, That these definitions only apply for purposes of prosecution of unlawful acts under this section and may not otherwise be used: (i) To create or to imply that a civil cause of action exists; or (ii) for purposes of argument in a civil cause of action, unless there has been a criminal conviction under this section.

(1) "Embryo" means the developing human in its early stages. The embryonic period commences at fertilization and continues to the end of the embryonic period and the beginning of the fetal period, which occurs eight weeks after fertilization or 10 weeks after the onset of the last menstrual period.

(2) "Fetus" means a developing human that has ended the embryonic period and thereafter continues to develop and mature until termination of the pregnancy or birth.

(c) For purposes of enforcing the provisions of §20-7-18a, §61-2-1, §61-2-4, §61-2-7, §61-2-9(a), §61-2-9(c), §61-2-10, §61-2-10b, §61-2-28(a), and §17C-5-1, §17C-5-2(b), or §17C-5-2(c) of this code, a pregnant woman and the embryo or fetus she is carrying in the womb constitute separate and distinct victims.

(d) Exceptions. — The provisions of this section do not apply to:

(1) Acts committed during a legal abortion to which the pregnant woman, or a person authorized by law to act on her behalf, consented or for which the consent is implied by law;

(2) Acts or omissions by medical or health care personnel during or as a result of medical or health-related treatment or services, including, but not limited to, medical care, abortion, diagnostic testing or fertility treatment;

(3) Acts or omissions by medical or health care personnel or scientific research personnel in performing lawful procedures involving embryos that are not in a stage of gestation in utero;

(4) Acts involving the use of force in lawful defense of self or another, but not an embryo or fetus; and

(5) Acts or omissions of a pregnant woman with respect to the embryo or fetus she is carrying.

(e) For purposes of the enforcement of the provisions of this section, a violation of the provisions of Chapter 16, Article 2I of this code shall not serve as a waiver of the protection afforded by the provisions of subdivision (1), subsection (d) of this section.

(f) Other convictions not barred. — A prosecution for or conviction under this section is not a bar to conviction of or punishment for any other crime committed by the defendant arising from the same incident.