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Stephen Freind

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Stephen F. Freind
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 166th district
In office
1976[1]–1993
Preceded byFaith Ryan Whittlesey
Succeeded byGreg Vitali
Personal details
Born (1944-04-22) April 22, 1944 (age 80)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
NationalityAmerican
Political partyRepublican

Stephen F. Freind (born April 22, 1944) is an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 166th district from 1976 until 1993.[2] He unsuccessfully challenged Arlen Specter in the 1992 Republican primary election. He was most notable for authoring the Abortion Control Act of 1982, a law that includes, with some exceptions, "requirements that a married woman notify her husband, that there be a 24-hour wait before any abortion, and that doctors show patients a pamphlet with pictures of developing fetuses,"[3][4] as well as another law to prevent suit against doctors for wrongful birth or wrongful life for not giving information about risk of fetal abnormalities.[5] The Abortion Control Act was mostly upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States except for the spousal notification provision in the case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey.[6]

In 1988, Freind provoked controversy by claiming that it is 'almost impossible' for a woman to become pregnant through rape, as it causes her to 'secrete a certain secretion, which has a tendency to kill sperm'.[7]

In 1984, a bill drafted by Freind was enacted into law that changed the way adults who were adopted as children access their original birth certificates.[8] This became Act 195 of 1984 or Adoption Act of 1984. This act is a lesser-known component of Freind's abortion agenda. Freind was convinced that denying adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates would lower abortion rates.[9] As of 2012, 44 states allow adult adoptees equal access to their original birth certificates.

Early life and education

Freind was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and graduated from the Malvern Preparatory School in 1962. He received a B.A. from Villanova University in 1966 and a J.D. from Temple University Law School in 1969.[10]

Run for Senate

In 1992 Freind gave up his state house seat to challenge Arlen Specter in the Republican U.S. Senate Primary. Freind ran well to the moderate Specter's right, accusing Specter of having more in common with Democrats than Republicans. Although Specter went on to win, he had to spend a considerable amount of money to do so. This left him in a weakened position for the general election, in which he just barely defeated Democratic challenger Lynn Yeakel.

Republican primary for the United States Senate from Pennsylvania, 1992:[11]

  • Arlen Specter (inc.) - 683,118 (65.08%)
  • Stephen F. Freind - 366,608 (34.92%)

See also

Books by Freind

  • God's Children by Stephen F. Freind (Beech Tree Books 1987) ISBN 0-688-06691-7

References

  1. ^ Cox, Harold (November 3, 2004). "Pennsylvania House of Representatives - 1975–1976" (PDF). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
  2. ^ DiFlaviana, K.; Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania. Dept. of Property and Supplies; Pennsylvania. Bureau of Publications (1991). The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 110. Department of Property and Supplies for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ISBN 9780818201455. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  3. ^ Hinds, Michael deCourcy (1992-02-21). "The 1992 Campaign: Pennsylvania; Trouble Shadows Specter in Senate Race". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  4. ^ "A Place Where the State Does Not Belong - Supreme Court takes up Pennsylvania abortion law". Los Angeles Times. 1992-04-22. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  5. ^ Kowitz, Julie F. (2008), "Not Your Garden Variety Tort Reform:Statutes Barring Claims for Wrongful Life and Wrongful Birth Are Unconstitutional Under the Purpose Prong of Planned Parenthood v. Casey", in Ehrenreich, Nancy (ed.), The Reproductive Rights Reader: Law, Medicine, and the Construction of Motherhood, New York University Press, p. 228, ISBN 978-0-8147-2231-2
  6. ^ Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 860 (1992).
  7. ^ Baer, John M. (23 March 1988). "Freind's Rape-pregnancy Theory Refuted". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  8. ^ Freind, Stephen (1984). "House Bill 278". 1983-1984 Regular House Session. The General Assembly of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  9. ^ Freind, Stephen (1979). "House Bill 1663" (PDF). House Legislative Journal. The Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  10. ^ "STEPHEN F. FREIND". www.legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  11. ^ PA U.S. Senate, ourcampaigns.com
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