PRINTER'S NO. 1543
No. 1254 Session of 1977
INTRODUCED BY DOUGHERTY, SCHAEFER, SMITH, MURRAY, MELLOW,
ORLANDO, ROSS AND SWEENEY, DECEMBER 15, 1977
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, DECEMBER 15, 1977
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of September 10, 1974 (P.L.639, No.209),
2 entitled "An act regulating abortions; providing requirements
3 relating to consent, and protection of premature infants
4 aborted alive; limiting the subsidizing of abortions;
5 providing for the powers and duties of the Department of
6 Health; and prescribing penalties," prohibiting subsidizing
7 of abortions.
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. Section 7, act of September 10, 1974 (P.L.639,
11 No.209), known as the "Abortion Control Act," is amended to
12 read:
13 Section 7. Subsidizing of Abortions Prohibited.--Since it is
14 the public policy of the Commonwealth [not to use public funds
15 to pay for unneeded and unnecessary abortions,] to favor
16 childbirth over abortion, no public funds shall be used to
17 promote abortion, no abortion shall be subsidized by any State
18 or local governmental agency [in the absence of a certificate of
19 a physician, filed with such body,] unless there is filed with
20 such agency a certificate signed by a physician stating that
1 [such] the abortion is necessary in order to [preserve] save the
2 life [or health] of the mother. Nothing contained in this
3 section shall be interpreted to restrict or limit in any way,
4 appropriations, made by the Commonwealth or a local governmental
5 agency to hospitals for their maintenance and operation, or, for
6 reimbursement to hospitals for services [performed] rendered
7 which are not for the performance of abortions.
8 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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