MEASURE PREVENTS CIRCUMVENTING STATE LAWS REQUIRING PARENTAL NOTIFICATION OR CONSENT FOR A MINOR TO RECEIVE AN ABORTION

Washington, Apr 27, 2005 - "Parents are responsible for their children, and we should help parents meet their responsibilities," said Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala).  "That is why nearly half of the states have enacted laws requiring parental notification or parental consent before a child can receive an abortion.  However, individuals who take a child into a state without such laws in order to obtain an abortion are circumventing these laws.  This measure ensures that these parents remain involved regarding a surgical procedure on their children."

The House today approved H.R. 748, the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act.  This measure makes it a violation of federal law to transport a minor girl across state lines for the purpose of procuring an abortion, if this is done to evade a parental notification or parental consent law that is in effect in the girl's home state.  H.R. 748 also requires that in a state without a parental notification requirement, before an abortion provider may perform an abortion on a minor girl who is the resident of a different state, that provider must notify a parent.  There is an exception if the child has already received authorization from a judge in her home state, or if she falls into carefully crafted exceptions to cover cases of abuse or medical emergencies.