A bill introduced recently by Rep. Ashley Hinson aims to protect the rights of pregnant students on college campuses.
“We want to make sure we’re truly empowering pregnant women to choose the best future for themselves,” the Iowa Republican told the Washington Examiner in an interview. “And they don’t have to sacrifice their education to do that.”
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The legislation, the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act, would amend a section of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require colleges and universities about their rights and resources available to them, including protections and accommodations.
Hinson said these accommodations would include “things like being able to modify a class schedule, being able to have an excused absence to be able to go to the doctor.”
“You know, so that they have the flexibility and they know that they’re not going to have to sacrifice on their education and then they can work around that,” she said.
Hinson also said the bill would require universities to notify students that if their Title IX rights are violated, they can file a report with the Department of Education.
“Basically, what we want is the accountability there. We want to make sure that students are offered all these options and the flexibility they need to be able to complete their education and achieve those goals,” Hinson said. “We want young moms to feel supported to pursue their education and motherhood at the same time and just know about every resource available to them.”
Hinson said that pursuing higher education can be a challenge on its own, while adding an unplanned pregnancy can make it feel out of reach for some women.
“Some women feel pressured, you know, to end their pregnancy or risk their academic failure,” Hinson said. “Because the situation that they’re in is sometimes they’re not made aware of the resources that are available to them.”
Asked about the bill’s prospects, and if it can secure any support from Democrats in a House currently under their control, Hinson said she hopes the effort could be bipartisan.
“The shared goal here is that we want women to stay in school,” she said. “We want people to finish their education. And we want people to be able to have a great career, and this bill ensures that all women who find themselves pregnant have those options.”
The bill has the support of several prominent anti-abortion groups, including the Susan B. Anthony List and Students for Life Action, as well as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Hinson said the bill aims to remove pressure for a woman to seek an abortion, “but also it’s standing up for future life for these women.”
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“They will have that ability to achieve their education, which will open up many, many great opportunities for them in the future,” she said. “And so that’s what this is really about. It’s about supporting moms and supporting babies, and I see that as being very pro-life.”
