Planned Parenthood | Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

by AnnaWeb Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

California has been getting plenty of press this past week for the passage of Proposition 8, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. But November 4 also brought the rejection by California voters of a measure that, if passed, would have been a major detriment to the reproductive rights movement—Proposition 4, or Sarah’s Law. In other words, we do have cause to celebrate at least on of the decisions that our most populous state made last Tuesday.

Proposition 4 called for a "Waiting Period and Parental Notification Before Termination of Minor's Pregnancy", requiring doctors to inform a minor’s parent or guardian of an intended abortion at least 48 hours before the procedure. California citizens voted on two nearly identical propositions in the past, Proposition 73 in 2005 and Proposition 85 in 2006, and rejected both, making this the third time that notification measures have been shot down.

It doesn’t require an expert to figure out that this proposed legislation was basically a dressed-up attempt to make it more difficult for a minor to obtain an abortion. Proponents used the ideal of increased family communication to promote the measure, but in reality many teenagers do overcome their fears and tell their parents about the procedure. I’m willing to believe that those who don’t probably have a good reason—a young woman might surmise that her parents would force her to reverse a decision she has obviously deemed best for herself. To my mind it is disrespectful to imply that a young woman in this difficult situation would make a rash decision unless forced to include her parents in the dialogue.
Just as importantly, some young women are desperate enough to opt for risky alternatives like illegal procedures if it allows them to keep their parents out of the loop, which is exactly why the California Medical Association and the California Nurses Association both spoke out against Proposition 4.

One exception that the proposal would have allowed involved notification waivers for young women with abusive parents. As the San Francisco Chronicle explained: “A physician could agree to a minor's request to notify another adult relative if there was evidence of a parent's physical, sexual or severe emotional abuse - and the doctor reported those allegations to law enforcement or Child Protective Services. The only other exception would be for a medical emergency or if a parent had waived his or her right to notification in advance.” My guess is that this process would prove pretty complicated and strenuous for someone who obviously has plenty on her plate already.

Upwards of 30 states already have legislation like Proposition 4 in place, requiring parent notification prior to abortion. California, and states like South Dakota, and Colorado, which also defeated anti-choice initiatives, are standing their ground on the abortion issue in general. These rejections, compiled with the election of a president who will actually lend us his support, is a heartening move for the reproductive rights movement.

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