Prohibiting abortion coercion
State Rep. Paul Opsommer today introduced legislation that would make coercing a woman into having an abortion a criminal offense.
House Bill 4799, which would be part of the Coercive Abortion Prevention Act, makes it a crime to try to force a woman to have an abortion if she expresses her intent to keep the child. In addition to allowing further charges against individuals who may use physical harm to make a woman terminate a pregnancy, the bill provides clarity regarding other forms of coercion such as tieing continued employment to having an abortion.
“Every life is precious, but it is especially egregious when a mother is coerced into having an abortion she did not seek,” said Opsommer, R-DeWitt. “This is the third session I have introduced this legislation and I believe that this year we will be able to get it signed into law. I think everyone can agree that no woman should be subjected to such threats and blackmail.”