Kansas and Florida lawmakers are advancing policies that critics say further efforts to establish fetal personhood, potentially setting legal precedents that could impact abortion and fertility rights.
On Thursday, Kansas’ Republican-led legislature overrode Governor Laura Kelly’s veto to pass a law granting child support and tax benefits for embryos and fetuses. Starting July 1, child support can be enforced “from the date of conception,” and parents can claim a dependent deduction for pregnancies and stillbirths.
In Florida, lawmakers are considering a bill allowing wrongful death lawsuits for the loss of an embryo or fetus at any stage of pregnancy. The bill, which has cleared the House and two Senate committees, would allow juries to award damages for the “wages” a fetus might have earned.
Supporters describe the laws as compassionate. Critics, including legal scholars and reproductive rights advocates, warn the measures could pave the way toward a nationwide abortion ban by recognizing constitutional rights for embryos.
Concerns remain about how these laws may impact in vitro fertilization (IVF), miscarriage care, and access to abortion services.
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