SB542

Senate Bill 542 amends the Arkansas Right-to-Know-and-See Act to impose specific requirements on abortion providers. Under the bill, providers who perform or refer patients for abortions must perform an obstetric ultrasound before administering any anesthesia or medication in preparation for the procedure. The physician or technician is required to provide a simultaneous verbal explanation of the ultrasound, including the location and number of fetuses. The provider must display the ultrasound images to the pregnant woman and ensure they are viewable. Furthermore, the bill requires providers to offer a detailed medical description of the images, including dimensions and the presence of internal organs or external members. These images must be documented and retained in the patient's medical records, and the provider must note in the records that the images were displayed to the patient.