SENATE BILL No. 705

 

 

September 17, 2003, Introduced by Senators McMANUS, CROPSEY, BIRKHOLZ, JELINEK, HARDIMAN, BROWN, VAN WOERKOM, STAMAS, CASSIS, HAMMERSTROM, KUIPERS, BISHOP, GARCIA, SANBORN, GOSCHKA, BARCIA, PATTERSON, ALLEN and OLSHOVE and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1961 PA 236, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Revised judicature act of 1961,"                                           

                                                                                

    by amending section 2922a (MCL 600.2922a), as amended by 2002 PA            

                                                                                

    164.                                                                        

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 2922a.  (1) A person who commits a wrongful or                         

                                                                                

2   negligent act against a pregnant individual is liable for damages           

                                                                                

3   if the act results in a miscarriage or stillbirth by that                   

                                                                                

4   individual, or physical injury to or the death of the embryo or             

                                                                                

5   fetus.                                                                      

                                                                                

6       (2) One or more of the following persons may bring an action                

                                                                                

7   and recover damages under this section:                                     

                                                                                

8       (a) The pregnant individual.                                                

                                                                                

9       (b) Any individual who has a right under the law of this                    

                                                                                

10  state to derivative damages for an injury to the pregnant                   

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   individual.                                                                 

                                                                                

2       (c) If the embryo or fetus dies, a parent, grandparent,                     

                                                                                

3   brother, or sister or, if none of those individuals survive, an             

                                                                                

4   individual to whom the deceased embryo's or fetus's estate would            

                                                                                

5   have passed under the laws of intestate succession had the embryo           

                                                                                

6   or fetus been born alive.                                                   

                                                                                

7       (d) If the embryo or fetus is injured but survives, the                     

                                                                                

8   embryo's or fetus's legal representative, parent, grandparent,              

                                                                                

9   brother, or sister.                                                         

                                                                                

10      (3) An abortion performed contrary to section 17015 or 17515                

                                                                                

11  of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.17015 and                   

                                                                                

12  333.17515, or the parental rights restoration act, 1990 PA 211,             

                                                                                

13  MCL 722.901 to 722.908, is a wrongful or negligent act under this           

                                                                                

14  section.                                                                    

                                                                                

15      (4)  (2)  This section does not apply to any of the                         

                                                                                

16  following:                                                                  

                                                                                

17      (a) An act committed by the pregnant individual.                            

                                                                                

18      (b) A medical procedure performed by a physician or other                   

                                                                                

19  licensed health professional within the scope of his or her                 

                                                                                

20  practice and with the pregnant individual's consent,  or  the               

                                                                                

21  consent of an individual who may lawfully provide consent on her            

                                                                                

22  behalf, or without consent as necessitated by a medical                     

                                                                                

23  emergency.                                                                  

                                                                                

24      (c) The lawful dispensation, administration, or prescription                

                                                                                

25  of medication.                                                              

                                                                                

26      (5)  (3)  This section does not prohibit a civil action under               

                                                                                

27  any other applicable law.                                                   


                                                                                

1       (6)  (4)  As used in this section:  , "physician                            

                                                                                

2       (a) "Abortion" and "medical emergency" mean those terms as                  

                                                                                

3   defined in section 17015 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368,            

                                                                                

4   MCL 333.17015.                                                              

                                                                                

5       (b) "Physician or other licensed health professional" means a               

                                                                                

6   person licensed under article 15 of the public health code, 1978            

                                                                                

7   PA 368, MCL 333.16101 to 333.18838.