Thread by @DSiPaint

Last year, I published Prenatal Child Support Across the United States, a book w/ original legislation scans for every state/territory going back as far as 1793.

I originally started researching legal history after seeing how the mainstream media gave no effort in research.

1/

This year, Utah’s legislature expanded (Fig 1) the state’s existing prenatal child support requirements from those of 1996 (Fig 2) & 1997 (Fig 3), bringing the state from the bare minimum Federal requirements (Fig 4) to being at the forefront in the nation.

2/

Obviously, UT wasn’t the 1st state w/ reqs. (It was 46th.) Yet, the media reported otherwise, using Planned Parenthood & (sometimes) the bill’s sponsor as their sources, rather than actually referencing the Utah Code.

Let this thread serve as a wall-of-shame for lazy media:

3/

Mostly via @AP writer @SophiaEppolito w/ their own headlines...

@YahooNews (AP)
@NBCNews (AP)
@kcranews (AP)
@ctvnewschannel (AP)

3/

@DeseretNews (by @savannahmhops)
@ScaryMommy (by Erica Gerald Mason)
@WNDU (repost of @NBCNews, AP)
@BCNbcn (AP)

4/

@fox5sandiego (AP) - also asks if CA could have such a law (It has since 1925; Fig 2)
@CNAnewsroom (by @mckeownjonah, also in @NCRegister & @cworldreport)
@seattletimes (AP)

5/

@Benefits_PRO (by Alan Goforth)
@abc4 (by Rick Aaron)
@helenaironline (AP)
@abcnews (AP)

6/

@nytimes (by Christine Hauser)
@KSLA (AP)
@FoxNews (AP)
@boston25, @ActionNewsJax (AP)

7/

@USATODAY (AP)
@cleveland19 (AP)
@Complex (by @ZayMarty)
@KRIS6News (by Nico Smith)

8/

@WISN12News (AP)
@fox5dc (AP)
@CBS_42 (AP)
@LEX18News (AP)

9/

@23ABCNews (AP) - also asks if CA could have such a law (It has since 1925; tweet 5, Fig 2)
@KAKEnews (AP)
@WPLGLocal10 (AP)
@B1039Radio (AP, w/ added notes by Joe Winner)

10/

@NewsHour (AP)
@tulsaworld (AP)
@The_Citizen (AP)
@WiStateJournal (AP)

11/

@JournalNow (AP)
@NewsandRecord (AP)
@mooresvilletrib (AP)
@OWHnews (AP)

12/

I could go on & on, but I’m sure the point is clear by now. One could give *some* leniency to local affiliates that publish what their national counterparts provide, but major publications like the NY Times, USA Today, ABC, Fox, NBC, etc., don’t even bother to fact check.

13/

Since numerous publications depends on the AP, it’s also paramount that reports be well-resourced by them so that misinformation doesn’t proliferate.

It’s also interesting that 2 CA publications asked if the state should have any such laws, when it has for a century.

14/

Kudos to these sources that actually did their research:

@RMissionaries (staff) - Refs other states w/ reqs
@dcexaminer (by @SouthernKeeks) - Refs other UT laws

This one got some parts right on existing laws:

@MotherlyMedia (by Cassandra Stone)

15/

Since I mentioned my book earlier, here is where you can purchase it:

Amazon:

amazon.com/Prenatal-Suppo…

Apple:

books.apple.com/us/book/prenat…

(I plan to have a 3rd edition shortly that includes UT’s new law.)

I also post research for free at patreon.com/danielgump.

16/16

Also, here is the article I wrote on Utah’s prenatal child support legislation, referencing earlier laws & comparing the state’s requirements to those of other states: