The Ban Offshore Abortion Tourism Act (BOAT Act) would make it a federal crime to perform an abortion in U.S. waters and maritime areas, punishable by up to five years in prison and fines. The law would apply to anyone who performs the procedure, with narrow exceptions for cases where the pregnancy endangers the woman's life, or when the pregnancy results from rape or incest (with specific reporting or counseling requirements). The bill includes protections for the pregnant woman herself, prohibiting her prosecution, but allows civil lawsuits against healthcare providers who perform prohibited abortions, with damages potentially including three times the abortion cost plus punitive damages and attorney fees. There is no specific funding mechanism or implementation timeline mentioned in the legislation.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.