HB 165 Pennsylvania House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in abortion, further providing for medical consultation and judgment.

HB 165 amends Pennsylvania's abortion law to require pain relief medication for fetuses over 15 weeks' gestation during abortion procedures, directly affecting abortion providers performing such procedures. The bill adds a new provision (Section 3204(b.1)) stating that pain relief medication must be administered prior to the procedure unless the physician knows the pregnant person has an adverse reaction to it or a medical emergency prevents timely administration. This change applies specifically to abortions at or beyond 15 weeks' gestation. The law would take effect 60 days after enactment. It focuses on procedural requirements for medical care during abortion, not on restricting access.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Feb 13, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Printer's No. PN0123 Printer's No. PN0617 · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill completely changed its purpose from establishing a criminal justice data collection program to adding restrictions on abortion procedures. The original version would have required the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to collect and analyze data on defendants in the criminal justice system, while the new version adds a requirement that pain relief medication must be provided to unborn children over 15 weeks gestation before abortion procedures, with limited exceptions.
Scope change
The bill's scope shifted entirely from criminal justice data collection to abortion-related medical requirements
SCOPE

Removed the entire Unified Criminal Justice Data Collection Program section that would have required the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to collect data on defendants' race, ethnicity, gender, age, and case information

Changed the bill's title and subject matter from criminal justice data collection to abortion-related medical procedures

REQUIREMENT

Added a new medical consultation and judgment requirement mandating pain relief medication for unborn children over 15 weeks gestation before abortion procedures

Added two exceptions to the pain relief requirement: when the physician knows the pregnant woman has an adverse reaction to pain relief medication, or in medical emergencies where there is insufficient time to provide pain relief

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Jan 16, 2025
Committee
Referred to Health
lower
1 primary · 7 co-sponsors

Sponsors