Florida Senate, House Committees Approve Abortion Parental Notification Measures

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 11 Apr 2005 - 0:00 PDT

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The Florida Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved 7-1 a measure... (SB 1908) that would require doctors to notify the parent or legal guardian of a minor seeking abortion at least 48 hours in advance of performing the procedure, the Orlando Sentinel reports (Kassab, Orlando Sentinel, 4/7). The bill, which is sponsored by state Sen. Paula Dockery (R) and was approved by the Senate Health Care Committee last week, would not require parental notification if the minor in question is married or has children or if an immediate abortion is necessary to prevent injury to or death of the minor. Under the measure, minors could bypass notification if a judge determines that they are mature enough to make the decision on their own, that they are victims of abuse or that notifying a parent is not in the girl's best interest (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 4/1). Before passing the measure, the Judiciary Committee approved an amendment to the bill that would allow minors seeking judicial bypass to use a pseudonym, the Miami Herald reports (Klas, Miami Herald, 4/7). The measure now goes to the full state Senate (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 4/1).

House Version, Bill Future
The state House Civil Justice Committee on Wednesday approved 4-1 a House version of the parental notification bill (HB 1659) that would allow only minors ages 16 and 17 to gain judicial bypass to avoid parental consent before undergoing an abortion, the Herald reports (Miami Herald, 4/7). Under the House version, minors could undergo abortion without parental notification or judicial bypass only if risk of death or injury to the minor were "certain" without the procedure, according to the AP/South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Hallifax, AP/South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 4/6).

Bills Likely To Pass
The state Legislature is widely expected to approve a parental notification measure this season because last session it approved a proposed constitutional amendment to allow such a law. The amendment (HJR 1), which Florida legislators approved as a ballot initiative in April 2004 and voters approved in November 2004, authorizes lawmakers to require that minors notify at least one parent or guardian before undergoing abortion. The measure is intended to overcome a 2003 Florida Supreme Court ruling that the state's current parental notification law violates minors' privacy rights. The law, which was never enforced because of legal challenges, would have required minors to notify a parent or legal guardian at least 48 hours before an abortion procedure (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 4/1). A version of the parental notification bill likely will go to Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) before the end of the legislative session in May, according to the Sentinel (Orlando Sentinel, 4/7). Larry Spalding, a lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, said that his group would consider a legal challenge if the House version of the measure becomes law because of the age restrictions for judicial bypass, according to the Sentinel (Orlando Sentinel, 4/7).

Abortion Clinic Regulation Bill
Bush on Wednesday expressed support for a state bill (HB 1041) known as the Women's Health and Safety Act that would increase regulation of state abortion clinics, according to the Florida Times-Union (Rockwell, Florida Times-Union, 4/7). The measure was approved by the state House Health & Families Council Committee last week. Under the measure, abortion clinics would have to abide by certain rules about employee training and equipment sterilization and be required to have certain types of facilities and equipment. Supporters of the legislation, which is sponsored by state Rep. Aaron Bean (R), say increased regulation of abortion clinics is necessary to protect the health of women who have abortions in the state, but opponents say the measure is intended to burden state clinics and restrict access to the procedure (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 4/1). The state Senate Health Care Committee was scheduled to consider the measure on Wednesday, and the full state House was expected to vote on the measure on Thursday, the Herald reports (Klas, Miami Herald, 4/6).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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