HB 1914 -- Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies (CARE)
Act

Sponsor:  Oxford

This bill establishes the Compassionate Assistance for Rape
Emergencies (CARE) Act which requires that the standard of care
for any health care facility that provides emergency care to
sexual assault victims will be to give a victim information
regarding emergency contraception, inform the victim of her
option to be provided emergency contraception, and provide a
complete regimen of emergency contraception if requested.  The
health care provider must follow federal Department of Justice
protocols on HIV/STI screening and prophylactic treatment.  An
emergency health care facility must ensure that the victim is
treated by a provider who has medically and factually accurate,
objective information about emergency contraception.

The Department of Health and Senior Services must:

(1)  Develop, prepare, and produce informational materials
regarding emergency contraception for the prevention of pregnancy
for distribution in any health care facility in the state.  The
materials must be medically and factually accurate and objective;
clearly written and comprehensible; provide an explanation of the
use, safety, efficacy, and availability of emergency
contraception; and explain that it does not cause an abortion;
and

(2)  Respond to complaints and periodically perform compliance
checks on emergency health care facilities.  If a facility is not
in compliance, the department will impose a $5,000 administrative
penalty for each woman who is denied the informational materials
or who is not offered emergency contraception and a $5,000
administrative penalty for failure to comply with the provisions
of the bill with an additional $5,000 penalty for every 30 days
of non-compliance.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:12 pm