Louisiana bill seeks ‘fairness’ in pregnancy costs

By SARA CLINE
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A Republican Louisiana lawmaker who has pre-filed a bill that would allow mothers to sue their child’s father for 50% of out-of-pocket pregnancy-related medical expenses. State Rep. Larry Frieman’s proposal, filed Thursday ahead of the legislative session, is of particular interest in Louisiana where there is a near-total abortion ban. Under the bill, the mother would be able to sue the father within two years from the birth of the child only if the paternity of the child has been proved by “clear and convincing evidence.” A 2022 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation says health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum care average a total of $18,865.