H. B. 2940
(By Delegates Stevens, Roberts and Tansill)
[Introduced March 8, 2005; referred to the
Committee on Health and Human Resources then the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto
a new article, designated §16-2J-1, relating to prohibiting the destruction
of frozen embryos; and providing for the adoption of such embryos; and
imposing a fine for noncompliance.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding
thereto a new article, designated §16-2J-1, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2J. FROZEN EMBRYOS.
§16-2J-1. Frozen embryos.
No frozen human embryo located within the State of West Virginia shall
be intentionally destroyed, nor shall any frozen embryo be transported to
another state or any other location for the purpose of its destruction. Every
frozen human embryo shall be preserved and protected, in order to
maintain its capability to survive in the future. Said embryo may be transferred
to another entity, located in the State of West Virginia, for preservation, or
it shall be made available to a married couple desiring to adopt it, to raise as
their child. The goal for each frozen embryo located in the State of West
Virginia is that it be adopted by a family in which it can live out its full
life.
The penalty for failure to comply with the terms of this section shall
be a fine of not less than one thousand dollars and not more than three thousand
dollars per offense.
Nothing in this section shall be construed or interpreted to condone,
permit, allow or endorse any abortion.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the destruction of frozen embryos,
and to provide for the adoption of frozen embryos and to impose a fine for
noncompliance.
This article is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been
omitted.