Proposed Ohio abortion bill would require paternal consent

A "man's right to choose"? That's the phrase that's going around after an Ohio legislator introduced a bill recently requiring paternal consent -- in the form of written permission -- before doctors are allowed to perform abortions.

I can't say I'm speechless (because I have lots to say about this), but it's hard to put into words what an outrageous assault this is on a woman's constitutional right to privacy. The bill would require women to provide a list of possible fathers for paternity tests in cases in which the father is not known. And in incidents of rape or incest, women would be forced to provide proof in the form of court documents or police reports.

The state representative, John Adams (yes, really) from Sidney, Ohio, introduced similar legislation two years ago.

The current legislation has already caused an uproar, including immediate reactions from the choice community. From the executive director of Planned Parenthood of Ohio, Gary Daugherty: "The (U.S.) Supreme Court has already spoken on the issue. It is clearly unconstitutional."