Health care; unauthorized pelvic examinations; exceptions; effective date.

HB 1018 prohibits physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers from performing pelvic exams on anesthetized or unconscious female patients without specific authorization. It directly affects female patients under anesthesia and healthcare providers who conduct such exams. The bill requires either informed written consent from the patient, the exam being part of a necessary surgical or diagnostic procedure, or it being medically required for a patient unable to consent. The law takes effect on November 1, 2025.