Mandatory vasectomy at age 50? Alabama lawmaker proposes response to abortion ban

A proposed Alabama law would require that all men get a vasectomy after they turn 50 or after the birth of their third child, whichever comes first.

The bill's sponsor, Democratic state Rep. Rolanda Hollis, said the measure gives perspective to reproductive health laws, including the state's contested abortion ban.

“It always takes two to tango," she told AL.com. “We can’t put all the responsibility on women. Men need to be responsible also.”

Hollis said the proposal is meant to "neutralize" the Human Life Protection Act passed last summer, which would make performing an abortion a Class A felony, punishable by life or 10 to 99 years in prison. A federal judge blocked the ban in October, and a lawsuit is pending.

Alabama's abortion ban blocked by judge: Law would've made most abortions a felony

If passed by the Republican-controlled state government, the bill introduced last week would require men to pay for their vasectomy. The proposal has drawn criticism from outside the state, including from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

"Yikes," Cruz tweeted Sunday. "A government big enough to give you everything is big enough to take everything … literally!"

While the abortion ban was under consideration, Democratic state Sen. Vivian Davis Figures proposed adding an amendment to make undergoing a vasectomy a felony, but the effort failed.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that forced sterilization is unconstitutional, but during the 20th century, the federal government funded coerced sterilization of people of color, disabled people and poor people in 32 states, PBS reported.

Contributing: The Associated Press