Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023

S 701, the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023, prohibits states from imposing restrictions on abortion that are more burdensome than those for comparable medical procedures. It protects access to abortion before fetal viability (when a fetus could survive outside the womb) by banning requirements like unnecessary in-person visits, medically inaccurate counseling, or facility restrictions not applied to similar care. Post-viability abortions remain protected when medically necessary to safeguard a patient’s life or health. The bill preempts conflicting state laws and ensures enforcement through federal courts to uphold these access protections for patients and health care providers.