SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s governor has signed a law requiring biological fathers to pay half of a woman’s out-of-pocket pregnancy costs.
The bill’s sponsor has presented the measure as an effort to decrease the burden of pregnancy on women and increase responsibility for men who have children. But critics argue the new legislation doesn’t do enough to adequately address maternal healthcare needs and could make abusive situations even more dangerous for pregnant women.
Utah appears to be the first state to mandate prenatal child support. A few states have provisions that can result in fathers being financially responsible for pre-birth expenses.
