Kentucky Senate passes bill to grant child support for unborn children
Kentucky Senate passes bill to grant the right to collect child support for unborn children Daily Mail
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The Republican-controlled Kentucky Senate votes to grant the right to seek child support for unborn children
- The bill is similar to those pending in half-a-dozen state Houses across the country, and one law that has already taken effect in Georgia
- The bill would also allow parents to seek child support retroactively, for up to a year after the birth of the child, for expenses incurred during pregnancy
- Its passage comes after the Alabama Supreme Court controversially ruled that frozen embryos are children under the law
By Sophie Mann For Dailymail.Com and Associated Press
Published: 16:47 EST, 6 March 2024 | Updated: 17:00 EST, 6 March 2024
The Bill and its Support
The Republican-controlled Kentucky Senate voted Tuesday to grant the right to seek and claim child support for unborn children. The bill would allow a parent to seek retroactive child support to cover the cost of pregnancy until one year after the child is born. Senate Bill 110 won bipartisan support in the chamber and advanced out of the Senate to the House by a vote of 36-2. Both ‘No’ votes were from Republican lawmakers. Both Kentucky chambers are controlled by Republican supermajorities.
Recognition of Obligations
Whitney Westerfield, a Republican Senator who sponsored the bill, said that the wide support within the chamber reflects a near-universal recognition that carrying a child comes with an obligation for the other parent to help cover pregnancy expenses. Westerfield is a pro-life politician who believes that life begins at conception. He emphasized the financial obligations and costs involved in having a child before birth, using his own family’s expenses during his wife’s pregnancy as an example.
Time Limit and Support
The bill includes a one-year time limit for seeking retroactive child support, which means the order will not apply in cases that are filed even ‘a year and a day’ after the birth of the child. State Senator David Yates, a Louisville Democrat, concurred with Westerfield’s position, stating that the other parent should be paying support to help cover the expenses of having a child.
Similar Legislation and Controversy
Kentucky is one of half-a-dozen states where legislators have proposed measures similar to an already-existing Georgia law that allows petitioners to seek child support dating back to the time of conception. Georgia also allows parents-to-be to claim an income tax deduction for dependent children before the time of their births. The bill’s passage comes amid an ongoing controversy in Alabama, where the state Supreme Court recently ruled that frozen embryos are legally protected children. Pro-abortion supporters and organizations in Kentucky are concerned that the bill may set the stage for personhood for a fetus, a designation strongly opposed by the pro-choice movement.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 1: No Poverty
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
The article discusses the right to seek and claim child support for unborn children, which is connected to SDG 1 (No Poverty) as it aims to ensure financial support for children and reduce the risk of poverty. It is also connected to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) as it covers the cost of pregnancy and promotes the well-being of both the mother and child. Additionally, it relates to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) as it addresses the financial responsibility of both parents and promotes gender equality in child-rearing. Lastly, it is connected to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) as it seeks to reduce inequalities by ensuring that both parents contribute financially to the upbringing of their child.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.
- Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.
- Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate.
- Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:
– Target 1.3: The bill aims to provide social protection for unborn children by granting the right to seek and claim child support.
– Target 3.7: The bill indirectly promotes access to reproductive healthcare services by addressing the financial responsibility of both parents during pregnancy.
– Target 5.4: The bill recognizes the financial obligations of both parents and promotes shared responsibility within the family.
– Target 10.2: The bill aims to ensure the inclusion of all parents in contributing financially to the upbringing of their child.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
No specific indicators are mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 1: No Poverty | Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable. | No specific indicators mentioned in the article. |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs. | No specific indicators mentioned in the article. |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate. | No specific indicators mentioned in the article. |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status. | No specific indicators mentioned in the article. |
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Source: dailymail.co.uk
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