This Arizona lawmaker proposes a tax credit of up to $4,000 for women who choose to give birth

A Republican state lawmaker is proposing a new refundable tax credit in a bill that he says would help financially support women who choose to give birth.

Only those at or below the poverty line would be eligible.

If passed, the bill would allow for a deduction of state taxes owed up to $4,000 — in the year there is a birth. But parents making a combined income of at least 145% above the poverty line, married or not, would not be eligible.

Rep. Nick Kupper is sponsoring the bill.

"I looked at the stats. And from what I was able to see, it appears that 93% of women who end up choosing to abort, if it's an elective abortion, they say it's a lack of finances, security or support. And a lot of that falls on men sucking," Kupper said.

The latest data from the state Department of Health Services says the top two cited reasons are either elective or unspecified.

Kupper says regardless, the state should do more to support women.

“I thought, well, what's one thing we can do that I think should be relatively bipartisan. And that's better take care of women. And if we can help support women in a financial way somewhat, why would we not?" Kupper said.

The bill would require the completion of a parenting education course like prenatal care. Kupper says he doesn’t yet have an estimate of how much the bill could reduce state tax revenues.