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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 20, 2022 12:25 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Liz Hanbidge |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Sharing Pregnancy Costs |
| Pregnancy is an incredibly expensive undertaking. In 2022, families will spend on average over $18,000 for costs associated with pregnancy. The need to pay for prenatal appointments, including the cost for medications, prenatal vitamins, maternity clothes, unpaid time off, care for other children, car seats, as well as other expenses such as preparing a home for a baby, are huge – the cost of giving birth alone carries an out-of-pocket expense of $4,500. Unfortunately, women at times are left to carry these costs alone. Given the nature of the recent Supreme Court decision overturning the federally-protected right to abortion, the inequity of sharing pregnancy costs has become even more apparent. For this reason, I plan to introduce legislation to provide women the option to seek pregnancy expenses from the person who impregnated them. This legislation would grant women standing to seek a percentage of pregnancy-related costs from the biological father to ensure both parties have equally contributed to preparing for the arrival of the soon-to-be child. This legislation would trigger upon the enactment of any abortion prohibitions in the Commonwealth. It is wrong to leave a person to face the challenges of pregnancy alone. By establishing this pathway, we affirm that pregnancy is not just a woman’s responsibility, especially in the instance of a forced pregnancy. Please consider joining me and co-sponsoring this much needed legislation. |