Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act
This bill prohibits abortions performed specifically because a prenatal test or diagnosis indicates the unborn child has Down syndrome. It makes it a federal crime for medical providers to perform such abortions, with potential penalties of up to five years in prison or fines, and allows civil lawsuits by affected individuals (like parents or the woman) seeking damages. The law requires medical professionals to report suspected violations to law enforcement and mandates courts to protect the privacy of women seeking such abortions. It explicitly states the bill does not create a right to abortion or affect existing abortion access, focusing solely on banning disability-based abortion decisions.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2023
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Jan 23, 2023
Last action Jan 23, 2023
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Jan 23, 2023
Committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
upper
Jan 23, 2023
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 24 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Steve Daines
RRepublican
Co
Bill Hagerty
RRepublican
Co
Cindy Hyde-Smith
RRepublican
Co
Cynthia M. Lummis
RRepublican
Co
J.D. Vance
RRepublican
Co
James E. Risch
RRepublican
Co
James Lankford
RRepublican
Co
John Barrasso
RRepublican
Co
John Boozman
RRepublican
Co
John Hoeven
RRepublican
Co
John Thune
RRepublican
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