Sen. Christine Kehoe

A new bill authored by California Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), if approved, would allow “aspiration” abortions to be performed by certified midwives, physician assistants and nurse practitioners.

With approval, Senate Bill 1501 would make California the fifth state in the country to allow medical staff other than a doctor to perform aspiration abortions.

These abortions are performed without surgery, using a suction method that removes a fetus from a uterus.

It is currently legal for women to elect this procedure if performed by licensed surgeons or physicians. When performed by a medical professional other than a surgeon or doctor, it is punishable by either a $10,000 fine or imprisonment.

The description of the non-surgical procedure would be removed from Section 2253 of the Business and Professions Code as part of this bill.

SB 1501 has four principal co-authors, including Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), Assembly member Toni Atkins, (D-San Diego), Speaker of the Assembly John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly member Nancy Skinner (D-Oakland).