Fetal Personhood: GOP Lawmakers Propose Homicide Charges for Women Seeking Abortions
As state legislative sessions continue, conservative lawmakers in multiple states have introduced bills granting legal rights to fetuses and embryos. In at least eight states- Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas proposals go as far as classifying abortion as homicide, allowing women who seek abortions to be prosecuted.
Many of these states have already banned abortion, but the new wave of bills aims to repeal protections that currently prevent women from facing legal penalties. Lawmakers, such as Idaho state Sen. Brandon Shippy, argue that recognizing fetal personhood requires criminal accountability. However, most of these bills face long odds, with some stalled in committees.
Beyond criminalization, conservative legislators are advancing bills that incorporate fetal personhood into tax, child support, and legal frameworks. Critics warn these measures could erode reproductive rights, create legal chaos, and even impact in vitro fertilization access.
Fetal personhood laws have historically been used to prosecute individuals for harming fetuses in cases of substance use during pregnancy. While some anti-abortion groups oppose criminalizing women for seeking abortions, others see it as a logical extension of their cause. The internal division highlights a strategic debate within the movement.
Despite uncertain legislative success, these bills serve as political statements reinforcing lawmakers’ anti-abortion credentials. As the debate over reproductive rights continues, fetal personhood laws remain a powerful and controversial tool in shaping abortion policy.
