Michigan lawmakers are considering a new bill that could provide some financial relief to pregnant mothers in the form of a tax deduction for their unborn baby.
ABC News 13 reports state Sen. Tom Barrett, a Republican from Potterville, introduced the legislation Tuesday. State Senate Bill 393 would allow unborn babies to be declared as dependents on their parents’ tax forms if they are at least 12 weeks gestation by the last day of the tax year. The unborn baby also must be under the care of a physician at the time to qualify.
Barrett’s proposal is similar to bills considered in 2012 in Michigan. At the time, a state House Fiscal Agency report noted that “the bills would initially be expected to reduce individual income tax revenue by an estimated $5 million to $10 million a year,” according to the local news.
Pro-life advocates know that financial struggles often are a major factor for pregnant mothers who are considering abortion. These tax breaks are one additional way that pro-life lawmakers are trying to help relieve the burden and help mothers choose life for their unborn babies.
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Earlier this year, Georgia lawmakers passed similar tax breaks for pregnant mothers within the new heartbeat law. The legislation not only prohibits abortions on an unborn baby after their heartbeat is detectable, around six weeks, but it also allows parents to claim unborn babies as dependents on their taxes and include the unborn baby in census data. It also allows mothers to collect child support for pregnancy and delivery costs from the father prior to the baby’s birth.
According to ABC, federal lawmakers also introduced bills this year to allow pregnant mothers to obtain child tax credits for their unborn babies.
