Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who is seeking the Republican nomination for president, proposed legislation (S 2464) that would extend constitutional rights to a woman's fetus, The Hill reports.
The bill is expected to be entered on the Senate calendar this week. This would allow it to bypass the committee process and could allow for a vote on the Senate floor.
Bill Details
The bill would extend 14th Amendment rights to fetuses. The 14th Amendment states that "no State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
The bill would not prohibit the use of contraception or "require the prosecution of any woman for the death of her [fetus]" (Carney, The Hill, 1/22).
