US Senator, Tina Maharath, proposes bill to sue men who impregnate any woman
A United States Senator from Ohio, Tina Maharath has proposed a bill that would empower ladies to sue any man who impregnates them, whether or not the sexual meeting was consensual.
Maharath, a Democrat, proposed the bill following the Supreme Court’s recent verdict to cancel Roe v. Wade, a bill in Ohio that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The bill was proposed on the floor of the Senate of Thursday.
According to Insider, Maharath’s proposed bill says that “any person may bring a civil action against another person who either causes the person to have an unintended pregnancy regardless of the circumstances or aids or abets any other person in causing the person to have an unintended pregnancy, regardless of the circumstances.”
Maharath’s bill demands that someone who causes a pregnancy to “pay damages of not less than $5,000, as well as court costs and attorney fees.”
In a statement, Maharath said, “Regardless of the circumstances. I felt it was important to have that vague language due to the fact that abortion is now banned here in the state of Ohio.
“The average cost of giving birth in our state is over $15,000 and can rise substantially if there are complications.
“Too often, this cost is solely the mother’s to bear, especially in the case of an unintended pregnancy.
“However, the father shares equal responsibility for the pregnancy and it is only right that he pays equally for it,” Maharath said.
The bill has gained support from conservative Christians as a report revealed that the President of Ohio’s Center for Christian Virtue, Aaron Baer, said the bill will help end “hook-up culture” and will also hold “deadbeat dads” accountable.
However, Maharath’s bill is yet to be heard by the Senate committee, while Republican lawmakers have said they are pushing a total ban on abortions when their session resumes in November.
“That is why I introduced Senate Bill 262, which would allow women to sue for damages an individual who causes an unintended pregnancy.
“I urge the Senate Judiciary Committee to pass SB 262,” Maharath further said.