New Connecticut Bill Would Increase Age Requirements For Abortion Counseling

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 11 Mar 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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New legislation before the Connecticut Public Health Committee, one of the joint standing committees of the Connecticut General Assembly, would require girls ages 17 and younger to receive counseling before undergoing abortions, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports. State law currently requires girls up to age 15 old to be counseled by someone other than the physician performing the abortion, such as nurse practitioners or clergy, before undergoing the procedure.

The bill raising the age requirement to 17 recently passed the Select Committee on Children by a 9-1 vote. Susan Yolen, vice president of public affairs and communications for Planned Parenthood of Connecticut, said the legislation is unnecessary. Counseling is "already happening," she said, adding, "Any patient of almost any age gets adequate counseling prior to an abortion. Certainly, we encourage every patient to involve family."

The Connecticut Catholic Conference has voiced its support for the bill, viewing it as a step in the right direction. The Catholic Conference did not rule out pursuing legislation next session that requires parental notification before a minor can receive an abortion. Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, said he wants to see the bill amended to bar any staff at an abortion clinic from counseling a minor. Yolen said that if such an amendment is added, the state likely would have to provide funding to not-for-profit groups to provide the counseling (Haigh, AP/Long Island Newsday, 3/6).

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