Sponsors (6)
The bill aims to protect public water systems and exempts patients from criminal liability for disposal of fetal remains but does so by creating new federal criminal penalties and broad definitions that raise legal risk, compliance costs, and the potential for reduced access to abortion care.
Women who obtain abortions: the bill explicitly prevents patients from being criminally liable for violations related to disposal of fetal remains from their own abortions.
Local governments, hospitals, and public water authorities: the bill prohibits disposal of fetal remains into government-run water systems, aiming to protect publicly owned water infrastructure and public health.
Women—particularly low-income individuals—and people seeking abortion care: the bill could reduce access to abortion services if providers stop offering care or close clinics because of increased criminal and compliance risks.
Healthcare workers and abortion providers nationwide: the bill creates new federal criminal penalties (fines and up to 5 years imprisonment) and exposes providers to prosecution even in states without specific disposal rules, producing substantial legal risk and cross‑state uncertainty.
Hospitals, clinics, and healthcare workers: broad definitions of 'fetal remains' and 'publicly owned water system' could criminalize routine medical-waste disposal practices and increase compliance costs and legal exposure for health-care providers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Makes it a federal crime for abortion providers to place fetal remains into publicly owned water systems, punishable by fines and up to 5 years imprisonment.
Official title: To prohibit fetal remains in publicly owned water systems, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 25, 2025 by Brandon Gill · Last progress June 25, 2025
Prohibits abortion providers from disposing of fetal remains by placing them into publicly owned water systems and makes violations a federal crime punishable by fines and up to five years imprisonment. The measure defines key terms (including “abortion,” “abortion provider,” “fetal remains,” and “publicly owned water system”), excludes the patient from the definition of provider, and preserves any state or local laws that are more restrictive.