Permit pregnant minor to consent to receive certain health care

sb440_00_IN

As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
S. B. No. 440

2025-2026

Senators Ingram, Hicks-Hudson

To
enact section
3792.02

of the Revised Code to
authorize
a pregnant minor to consent to receive health care to maintain the
life or improve the health of herself or the unborn child she is
carrying.

BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section
1.
That
section
3792.02

of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec.
3792.02.
(A)
As used in this section, "health care" means only treatment
or services intended to maintain the life or improve the health of
either a pregnant minor or the unborn child she is carrying.

(B)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a minor
may consent to receive prenatal health care, health care during
delivery, and post-delivery health care necessary for physical
recovery from the birth prior to being discharged from the hospital.
Such care includes family planning services. Such consent is not
subject to disaffirmance because the minor has not reached the age of
majority. The consent of any other person is not needed to authorize
the provision of health care under this section, including consent
from any of the following: the minor's spouse, parent, or guardian; a
person acting in loco parentis to the minor; or the putative father
of the unborn child.

(C)
At the minor's initial prenatal visit to the health care facility or
health care professional, the facility or professional shall request
permission from the minor to contact the minor's spouse or any
parent, guardian, or person acting in loco parentis to the minor for
the purpose of seeking additional medical information that may be
necessary or helpful to the provision of proper health care to the
minor or her unborn child.

(D)
For reasons related to medical treatment, the minor's treating health
care professional or that professional's delegate may inform the
minor's spouse, parent, or guardian, or a person acting in loco
parentis to the minor, regarding the health care provided or needed.
However, the health care professional or delegate may not provide
information related to the minor's medical history.

(E)
A minor's parent or guardian, or a person acting in loco parentis to
the minor, is not liable for the cost of treatment or services
provided to the minor or her unborn child pursuant to this section.

(F)
Nothing in this section abrogates or limits any person's
responsibility under section 2151.421 of the Revised Code to report
child abuse that is known or reasonably suspected or believed to have
occurred, child neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or
believed to have occurred, and children who are known to face or are
reasonably suspected or believed to be facing a threat of suffering
abuse or neglect.