The New York state branch of the National Organization for Women denounced a state bill—proposed in response to the murder of several children by their drug-addicted mothers—that would create the presumption of neglect for infants born with drugs in their bloodstream.

The group says the bill, which it calls the "Criminalization of Pregnancy" act, "repeatedly refers to embryos and fetuses as 'children,' " thus insinuating into law the dangerous notion of "fetal rights." The law would also presumably violate the ban on unwarranted search and seizure by drawing conclusions about a mother's behavior based on the infant's toxicology report. NOW also notes that the proposed law was sexist, ignoring "the genetic effects of paternal drug use and abuse on sperm."

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