(TheBlaze) – Tennessee lawmakers have proposed a bill that would enable a biological father to stop a woman from getting an abortion. Republican state Sen. Mark Pody introduced SB0494 on Feb. 8 that calls for:
As introduced, permits a person to petition a court for an injunction to prohibit a woman who is pregnant with the person’s unborn child from obtaining an abortion; requires the petitioner to execute a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity that is not subject to being rescinded or challenged.
Once the injunction is issued, the court must hold a hearing with both parties within 14 days, The Hill reported. Should the woman violate the injunction and get an abortion, “The court may hold the respondent in civil or criminal contempt and punish the respondent in accordance with the law.”
“The voluntary acknowledgment of paternity may be executed without the signature of the child’s mother,” the bill states. “The voluntary acknowledgment of paternity must be proven by filing a certified copy with the court.”
A judge could grant the petition as long as the petitioner proves he’s the biological father of an unborn child and there is a “reasonable possibility” that the woman would seek an abortion, according to USA Today. READ MORE
