Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman LISA SWAIN
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain ultrasounds on pregnant women to be performed by licensed health care professionals.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the performance of ultrasounds on pregnant women by licensed health care professionals and supplementing Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The performance of any ultrasound on a pregnant woman in a limited service pregnancy center shall be performed by a health care professional whose scope of practice includes performing ultrasounds.
b. For the purposes of this section:
“Health care professional” means a person licensed or otherwise authorized pursuant to Title 45 or Title 52 of the Revised Statutes to practice a health care profession that is regulated by the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs or by one of the professional licensing boards located thereunder.
“Limited service pregnancy center” means an organization, including a pregnancy counseling organization or crisis pregnancy center, that for a fee or free of charge provides pregnancy counseling or information but does not perform abortions or make referrals to an abortion provider and is not licensed or certified by this State or the federal government to provide medical or health care services. “Limited service pregnancy center” shall not include a health care provider, a hospital, an abortion clinic, or a family planning clinic that performs abortions, provides contraception, or provides abortion or contraception referrals.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that the performance of any ultrasound on a pregnant woman in a limited service pregnancy center shall be performed by a health care professional whose scope of practice includes performing ultrasounds.
The bill defines “health care professional” as a person licensed or otherwise authorized pursuant to Title 45 or Title 52 of the Revised Statutes to practice a health care profession that is regulated by the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs or by one of the professional licensing boards located thereunder.
“Limited service pregnancy center” is defined as an organization, including a pregnancy counseling organization or crisis pregnancy center, that for a fee or free of charge provides pregnancy counseling or information but does not perform abortions or make referrals to an abortion provider and is not licensed or certified by this State or the federal government to provide medical or health care services. “Limited service pregnancy center” shall not include a health care provider, a hospital, an abortion clinic, or a family planning clinic that performs abortions, provides contraception, or provides abortion or contraception referrals.