Sponsors (117)
The bill extends legal personhood protections to embryos and fetuses and clarifies constitutional reach for territories while protecting pregnant people from direct prosecution—trading expanded protections for embryonic life against major restrictions on abortion and reproductive technologies, increased liability for providers, and substantial legal uncertainty.
Pregnant people (women) are explicitly protected from criminal prosecution for ending a pregnancy—the Act bars charging the pregnant person for her unborn child's death.
Embryos and fetuses would be legally recognized as persons from fertilization/conception, which could create new legal standing and federal protections for embryonic/fetal harms.
Residents of the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories are explicitly treated as 'States' for purposes of the 14th Amendment within this Act, clarifying constitutional applicability for those jurisdictions.
Pregnant people (women) would face expanded legal restrictions because embryos and fetuses are defined as persons at conception, substantially limiting abortion access and reproductive autonomy.
Medical providers, clinics, and reproductive-health facilities would face heightened criminal and civil liability risk, likely chilling care and reducing availability of abortion and other pregnancy-related services.
Access to assisted reproductive technologies (IVF), embryo research, and some contraception could be restricted or made more costly if embryos are treated as legal persons, denying or raising costs for prospective parents.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Declares that the constitutional right to life applies to every human being, including preborn persons from fertilization or creation, and defines related terms for constitutional purposes.
Official title: To implement equal protection under the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person.
Introduced January 24, 2025 by Eric Burlison · Last progress January 24, 2025
Declares that the constitutional right to life belongs to every human being, explicitly including preborn persons from the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other beginnings of human life, and defines key terms ("human person/being" and "State") for constitutional purposes. The law includes a clause saying it does not authorize prosecution of a woman for the death of her unborn child.