COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio lawmaker has introduced a bill that would prevent a woman from having an abortion unless she gets written consent from the biological father.
The proposal by State Rep. John Adams, R-Sidney, has stirred up controversy across the nation, 10TV's Kevin Landers reported.
"What does the father have to say in the abortion of his child? He has nothing to say (under current law)," Adams told 10TV News.
In the case where the father isn't known, House Bill 252 would compel the woman to provide a list of names of people who may be the father in an effort to determine paternity. The bill also would make it a crime for women to lie about who the father is, and make it illegal for doctors to perform abortions without the father's consent.
The bill would force a woman to have a child if the father does not agree to an abortion.
"That child should be born, not killed," Adams said.
The proposal has created a fire storm among pro-choice advocates.
Pro-Choice Ohio issued a statement saying Adams' bill is "completely out of touch with Ohio's mainstream values. The measure is a clear attack on a woman's freedom and privacy.... It does absolutely nothing to reduce the need for abortion."
