This Amendment modifies the language of the Act by imposing the requirement that an abortion provided to protect the physical health of the pregnant person must be medically indicted by both the good-faith medical judgement of a treating attending health care professional and a Delaware licensed health care professional who concurs with the treating professional's medical judgement.

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included details about mental health abortions and other types of abortions that are not supported in the official source material.

Amendment to Require Two Health Professionals for Physical Health Abortions

This amendment changes the law so that an abortion done to protect someone's physical health must be agreed upon by two doctors, but does not specify requirements for other types of abortions.

What This Bill Does

• Requires both a treating attending health care professional and another Delaware licensed health care professional to agree on abortions provided to protect the physical health of pregnant people.

Who It Names or Affects

• Pregnant individuals seeking abortions in Delaware.
• Health care professionals who provide or approve abortions in Delaware.

Terms To Know

Treating attending health care professional

A doctor who is directly treating the patient and making medical decisions for them.

Delaware licensed health care professional

A doctor or other health provider who has a license to practice in Delaware.

Limits and Unknowns

• The amendment was defeated by the Senate on March 11, 2025.
• It does not specify what happens if one of the required doctors disagrees with an abortion for physical health reasons.
• Does not affect existing laws about other types of abortions.

Official Summary Text

This Amendment modifies the language of the Act by imposing the requirement that an abortion provided to protect the physical health of the pregnant person must be medically indicted by both the good-faith medical judgement of a treating attending health care professional and a Delaware licensed health care professional who concurs with the treating professional's medical judgement. Under this amendment, abortions provided for mental health reasons require only the support of a treating attending health care professional.

Current Bill Text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Richardson

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 2

TO

SENATE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1

FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 5

AMEND Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 5 on line 9 by deleting "

, in the good-faith medical judgment of a treating attending health care professional,

" after "

that

" therein.

FURTHER AMEND Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 5 on line 10 by inserting "

An abortion that is provided to protect the physical health or life of a pregnant individual must be medically indicated through the good-faith medical judgement of both a treating attending health care professional and a Delaware licensed health care professional. An abortion that is provided to protect the mental health of a pregnant individual must be medically indicated through the good-faith medical judgement of a treating attending health care professional.

" after the period therein.

SYNOPSIS

This Amendment modifies the language of the Act by imposing the requirement that an abortion provided to protect the physical health of the pregnant person must be medically indicted by both the good-faith medical judgement of a treating attending health care professional and a Delaware licensed health care professional who concurs with the treating professional's medical judgement. Under this amendment, abortions provided for mental health reasons require only the support of a treating attending health care professional.

Author: Senator Richardson