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An Oklahoma lawmaker thinks women should ask men for permission before having an abortion

It’s no secret that abortion is a hot-button topic, with people on both sides fighting for laws that support their beliefs.

Protesters against anti-abortion laws

Just a few weeks ago, President Trump signed an executive order that prevents taxpayer money from funding foreign NGOs that perform abortions or promote it as a family planning method.

And now a new bill in Oklahoma is raising some eyebrows.

On Tuesday, the Oklahoma state legislature will hold a hearing on HB 1441, a bill that would require that a woman seeking an abortion get written permission from the man who got her pregnant, with exceptions made in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother.

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Representative Justin Humphrey, the man who wrote the bill, said in an interview with Wednesday that he wanted to give men a say in whether women obtain an abortion.

“I understand that [women] feel like that is their body,” he said.

“I feel like it is a separate - what I call them is, is you’re a ‘host.’ And you know when you enter into a relationship you’re going to be that host and so, you know, if you pre-know that then take all precautions and don’t get pregnant.”

Humphrey states that he thinks “your body is your body” but women should “be responsible with it.”

Then, he added, “But after you’re irresponsible then don’t claim, well, I can just go and do this with another body, when you’re the host and you invited that in.”

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Humphrey says he also wanted to ensure that men have to pay child support "from the beginning," although that language has since been removed from the bill according to The Intercept.

Oklahoma is no stranger to strict anti-abortion laws: Earlier in 2016, state lawmakers passed a bill that would make it a felony to perform an abortion in the state.

However, Gov. Mary Fallin vetoed the bill, according to the Washington Post.

The state's Supreme Court also tossed a law in December that would have required abortion providers to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, according to .

Meanwhile, pro-abortion activists are concerned by the proposed bill.

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Amanda Allen, the senior state legislative counsel for the Center for Reproductive Rights, called it "a new low for Oklahoma," and added that it aims to "shame and stigmatize women who are seeking abortion care."

Tamya Cox, the Regional Director of Public Policy and Organizing for Planned Parenthood, told local news outlet KFOR Wednesday that if legislators really wanted to lower the number of abortions, "they should work with us on creating better access to education."

HB1441 will go before the Oklahoma state house on Tuesday, and, if it passes, will move on to the state senate.

What do you think of this proposed law?

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