Dignity for Aborted Children Act

Senate Bill

S. 242

119th Congress

Dignity for Aborted Children Act

In Committee

Introduced:Jan 24, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Pete Ricketts

R - NE

Cosponsors

12

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Health

Summary

This bill establishes requirements for disposing of fetal tissue following abortions. Patients must provide informed consent for one of two options: retaining possession themselves (potentially transferring to interment services) or releasing tissue to the provider for interment or cremation within seven days. Providers must retain consent documentation and submit annual reports to HHS. Civil penalties apply for documentation failures; criminal penalties for improper disposal.

Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill establishes requirements for disposing of fetal tissue following abortions. Patients must provide informed consent for one of two options: retaining possession themselves (potentially transferring to interment services) or releasing tissue to the provider for interment or cremation within seven days. Providers must retain consent documentation and submit annual reports to HHS. Civil penalties apply for documentation failures; criminal penalties for improper disposal.

Last updated: 1/4/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Dignity for Aborted Children ActThis bill establishes requirements for abortion providers with respect to the disposal of human fetal tissue from an abortion.Specifically, it requires abortion providers to obtain a patient's informed consent for one of two specified methods of disposition and to retain the corresponding documentation in the patient's file.First, patients may choose to retain possession of the tissue. A patient may choose to transfer the tissue to an entity that provides interment or cremation services.Second, patients may choose to release the tissue to the provider. Providers must ensure any tissue released to them is interred or cremated within seven days of the procedure in a manner consistent with state law regarding the disposal of human remains.Abortion providers must submit reports annually to the Department of Health and Human Services about these requirements and other specified information.The bill establishes civil penalties for violations of the requirement to retain documentation of informed consent, and it establishes criminal penalties for violations of the requirement regarding the disposal of human fetal tissue.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Requires informed consent for fetal tissue disposition method
Patients may retain possession or release to provider
Providers must inter or cremate released tissue within 7 days
Annual reporting to HHS required
Civil penalties for documentation violations, criminal for disposal violations

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This legislation adds new regulatory requirements to abortion providers regarding fetal remains. Supporters view it as recognizing the dignity of unborn life. Opponents argue it creates burdensome requirements designed to restrict abortion access. Healthcare providers would face new documentation, reporting, and compliance obligations with potential criminal liability.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Health

Related Subjects

Abortion

Cemeteries and funerals

Census and government statistics

Civil actions and liability

Congressional oversight

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Health information and medical records

Health personnel

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

242, 119th Congress (2025). "Dignity for Aborted Children Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-242