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Judge Hears Request to Block New
Alaska Parental Notification Law
Part Two of Three By Dave Andrusko Perhaps even before you read this, Anchorage Superior Court Judge John Suddock will have ruled on Planned Parenthood's request to block the state's new parental notification law from going into effect tomorrow. On Friday three sets of parties made their case before Judge Suddock: the state of Alaska; Planned Parenthood, joined by other groups and two abortionists; and "Kevin Clarkson, who represents the sponsors of Ballot Measure 2 requested to intervene," according to Channel 2 News "and was allowed to participate in arguments." At issue is a parental notification law, passed by Alaskan voters in a August primary, that requires abortionists to notify minors' parents before an abortion. Ballot Measure 2 won 56% support, meaning the initiative was backed by 69,012 "yes" votes compared with 54,945 "no," according to the Associated Press. If the law goes into effect, it will be the 30th state with a law protecting the right of a parent to know when his or her minor daughter is contemplating an abortion. The attorney for PPFA , Janet Crepps of the Center for Reproductive Rights, told Suddock that "the law will violate the rights of minors, singling out abortion as the only medical care related to pregnancy that requires parental involvement," according to the Associated Press. "It treats minors who seek abortions differently from minors who seek pregnancy to term." Speaking on behalf the state of Alaska, Mary Lundquist told the court, "We think it's crucial that the minor be well-informed before taking the step to terminate the pregnancy and that the parents, they have a constitutional right to parent their child and help them through the decision-making process," the AP reported. Clarkson addressed in particular the plaintiffs assertion that parental notification would mean a delay in when the minor girl (17 and under) obtains an abortion. Passage of the law in August "was a big victory for parents and young girls," said Mary Spaulding Balch, NRLC director of State Legislation. "A strong majority of the public, in Alaska as well as nationally, believes that it is only right and appropriate that parents be involved in such a crisis situation," she said. "These laws protect young girls--after all, who would know their medical histories and care more about them than their own parents?" According to the state health department, 125 teens under 18 received an abortion last year. Under Ballot Measure 2, a teenage girl can avoid notifying her parents if she appears before a judge or provides the abortionist with a notarized statement about the alleged parental abuse signed by an adult relative or authorized official. Thirteen years ago, the state legislature passed a parental consent law, although a series of court challenges kept the 1997 from taking effect. In 2007, the state Supreme Court struck it down 3-2. However "The court left the door open for a law requiring parents to be notified," the Anchorage Daily News reported. Please send your comments on Today's News & Views and National Right to Life News Today to daveandrusko@gmail.com. If you like, join those who are following me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/daveha. |