Undercover Video: Missouri Planned Parenthood Transports Minors for Abortions Without Parental Knowledge

photo credit: American Life League / Flickr

Undercover video shows a Managing Director for Planned Parenthood in Kansas City, Missouri explaining how Planned Parenthood and other clinics arrange out-of-state abortions for minors without parental knowledge.

An undercover journalist with Project Veritas posed as the uncle of a 13-year-old girl whose parents did not know she was pregnant. When he went to the Kansas City Planned Parenthood, he recorded his conversation with the clinic's managing director, Lashauna. She was unphased by the journalist's desire to get an abortion for his niece quickly and secretly.

Lashauna told the journalist that Planned Parenthood would help arrange transportation, hotel stays, and financial assistance for the fictional child's abortion at a clinic in Kansas. The abortion giant would also provide a doctor's note to get the child out of school without informing the school about the abortion. Planned Parenthood would do all of these things without informing the child's parents.

“In Planned Parenthood, we consider you an adult,” Lashauna told the undercover journalist. “You can make the decision then we've got you…We never tell the parents anything.”

Lashauna said that Planned Parenthood arranged these kinds of abortions “every day.”

She also mentioned that the Kansas clinic would have to get a "bypass" to arrange an abortion without parental notification. Under the Roe v. Wade standard, courts required parental notification and parental consent laws to contain provisions that would allow minors to bypass those requirements if a judge deems the minor to be competent and the abortion to be in her best interest. Such a provision existed in the Illinois parental notification law that pro-abortion legislators repealed in December 2021.

Abortion businesses often exploit these bypass opportunities by shopping for abortion-friendly judges and directing minors to them.

This conduct by Planned Parenthood and other abortion businesses only serves to protect sex offenders and predators from discovery and prosecution. It does not seek justice for the child who was raped, nor does it fairly treat the innocent life created by the offender's conduct.

Ohio Voters Approve Right to Abortion in State Constitution

On November 7, Ohioans voted 57%-43% to create a right to abortion in the state constitution.

The amendment creates a right to abortion at any point in pregnancy up until the moment of birth as long as the abortionist deems it necessary for the mother's "health." "Health" is not defined by the amendment's language, allowing abortionists and courts to interpret it broadly.

Courts interpret similar language in other laws to include mental health.

The amendment prevents Ohio from enforcing any law that would interfere with an individual's right to "carry out one's own reproductive decisions." This language will likely also prevent Ohio from enforcing waiting periods or parental notification laws. It could prevent the state from enforcing laws that would prevent taxpayer dollars from funding abortions.

NBC News reported that spending in favor of the amendment since August 9 was $18.3 million compared to $7 million from pro-life groups. Much of this spending came from large out-of-state organizations like Planned Parenthood. These ads pounded voters with misinformation such as the idea that pro-life laws kill mothers and imprison them for experiencing miscarriage.

“Sadly, the ones who will suffer for tonight’s vote will be women and their unborn babies,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “As pro-abortion groups move in on Ohio and push to overturn protective laws, the people of Ohio will likely be shocked at the impact their decision will have.”

In other key votes, pro-life candidates lost Virginia's General Assembly and Kentucky's Governor race. 

On the other hand, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch (who argued the Dobbs v. Jackson case before the Supreme Court) defeated her opponent by a margin of approximately 2 to 1.

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Pro-Life Rep Mike Johnson Elected Speaker of the House

US Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA)

On October 25, pro-life Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) was elected as speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Johnson is a constitutional law attorney representing Louisiana's 4th district. He has served as vice chair of the House Republican Conference and has co-sponsored pro-life legislation. He is the lead sponsor of the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, which would make it a crime to knowingly transport a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion without first satisfying parental involvement laws in the minor’s state of residence.

Before he became a Representative, he served as legal counsel to Louisiana Right to Life. “We congratulate Speaker Mike Johnson,” said Ben Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life. “Speaker Johnson has been a strong ally of the pro-life movement and Louisiana Right to Life. Speaker Johnson will be a proudly pro-life Speaker of the House who will protect babies and help moms.”

“National Right to Life congratulates Speaker Mike Johnson,” stated Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “Speaker Johnson is committed to the right to life, and he will make the right to life and protecting women and their unborn children a priority in Congress.”

Florida AG Asks State Supreme Court to Block Pro-Abortion Ballot Measure

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R)

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) is asking Florida's Supreme Court to block a proposed ballot measure that would amend the Florida Constitution and create a right to abortion. She argues that the measure's language deceives voters.

The proposed amendment states, "Except as provided in Article X, Section 22 [Florida's parental notification law], no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider."

Moody argues that the amendment fails to clearly define "viability." In an op-ed for Florida's Voice, Moody wrote,

"As just one example of how misleading this initiative is, the initiative creates a right to abortion through 'viability.' As any mother knows, 'viability' has two meanings when it comes to pregnancy.

First, it means whether a pregnancy is expected to continue developing normally through delivery. Doctors can tell during the first trimester, usually around about 12 weeks, whether a pregnancy is viable and would have a much lower risk of miscarriage. For that reason, many women often wait to tell family and friends about their pregnancy until that time.

Second, viability is sometimes used to mean whether a baby can survive outside of the uterus, which currently is around 21 to 25 weeks of pregnancy. The two time periods, depending on your definition of viability, are starkly different, and the procedures performed to abort a baby’s life at either time period are dissimilar."

Moody's argument suggests that some voters could interpret the language as prohibiting abortion after 12 weeks gestation, since that is when the first definition of abortion would apply. Since more Americans support abortion during the first trimester, this could draw more voters to support the amendment.

"As attorney general, I have a constitutional and statutory duty to inform the Florida Supreme Court when ballot initiatives will confuse voters. Thus, I will file a brief with the court fulfilling that responsibility," Moody concluded.

Truthfully, the language of this amendment actually allows unlimited abortion. It allows a mother's "healthcare provider" to declare an abortion legal if it would protect the mother's "health." These terms are often interpreted broadly in court, such that the amendment would allow an abortionist (the person profiting from abortion) to declare the abortion necessary to protect a mother's mental or emotional health.

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Oregon Gov Signs Bill Ending Parental Consent for Abortions

On July 13, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) signed legislation ending the state's parental consent law for abortions.

The legislation also prohibits Oregon law enforcement from assisting other states in criminal investigations of pro-life laws, and it reiterates that health insurance (including Medicaid) must provide coverage for abortions.

The repealed law required parents or guardians to give consent before their minor children have abortions. After the repeal passed in the Oregon House, Senate Republicans staged a six-week walkout leading to a few minor concessions. Changes to the bill before passage removed language expanding abortion in rural areas and college campuses.

Another compromise added language stating parental notification can only be bypassed if a second medical provider agrees that it is in the minor's best interest. This is not expected to have much impact.

In addition to protecting innocent unborn lives, parental consent and parental notification laws are powerful tools to protect children from sex trafficking and rape. Without these laws, predators and sex traffickers can easily use abortion to hide their conduct from parents and law enforcement.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker similarly signed the repeal of Illinois's Parental Notice of Abortion Act in December of 2021. The repeal went into effect on June 1, 2022.

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Abortion Rights Amendment to Appear on Ohio Ballot

On July 5, pro-abortion groups in Ohio submitted over 700,000 signatures to place an amendment creating a right to abortion on the November ballot. If successful, the proposed amendment would enshrine abortion rights into Ohio's state constitution.

Supporters of the amendment submitted 710,131 signatures in support of the amendment. Ohio law required 413,487 to place it on the ballot. The excess signatures were collected to account for errors that could cause some signatures to not count.

The pro-abortion groups allied in support of the amendment include Planned Parenthood and the ACLU.

“The ACLU’s radical amendment would allow for abortion until birth with no protections for the preborn,” said Peter Range, CEO of Ohio Right to Life. “Additionally, it would eliminate parental rights and notification laws if you have a teenage daughter who is being pressured into an abortion or even a sex change operation.”

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Hawaii Gov Signs Law Protecting Abortionists, Repealing Parental Notification

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D)

On March 22, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green signed legislation expanding abortion in the state by lowering the qualifications for abortionists, ending a requirement that abortions be committed in medical facilities, and repealing Hawaii's parental notification law.

The law also protects abortionists in Hawaii from extradition to other states if they broke pro-life laws in other states. Hawaii state officials are prohibited from assisting pro-life states during investigations regarding abortion crimes.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a similar protection into law at the beginning of the year. HB4664 protects abortionists in Illinois from extradition to other states if they are accused of breaking pro-life laws in those states.

Hawaii's law further allows physician assistants to commit surgical abortions during the first trimester, and it ends a requirement that abortions be committed in hospitals or abortion facilities. The latter requirement was removed to legalize DIY at-home abortions using the abortion pill regimen.

Hawaii again follows Illinois in its repeal of a parental notification law. Pritzker signed a repeal in December 2021. Parental notification requirements not only allow parents to be involved in the deeply traumatic decision of abortion, but it helps make them aware of rape and human trafficking that are otherwise hidden by the abortion industry.

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US Supreme Court Throws Out Ruling that Court Clerks can be Sued for Denying Parental Notification Bypass

On March 20, the US Supreme Court threw out a lower-court ruling which allowed a 17-year-old to sue a Missouri state court clerk for refusing to grant a judicial bypass for Missouri's law requiring minors to obtain parental consent for abortions.

Missouri's parental consent law allows minors to bypass the consent requirement by receiving permission from a court. Federal courts often required parental consent and notification laws to contain judicial bypass provisions while Roe v. Wade was a standing Supreme Court precedent.

The minor went to a Missouri courthouse in 2018 to seek a judicial bypass for the parental consent law. Court clerk Michelle Chapman interpreted Missouri's law to require her to notify the minor's parents of the hearing. Not wanting to notify her parents, the minor chose to travel to Illinois where she obtained a judicial bypass and an abortion.

Illinois's Parental Notice of Abortion Act was still in place at the time, but abortion businesses were known to have relationships with abortion-friendly judges who could provide judicial bypasses. A bill repealing the parental notice law was passed with pro-abortion Gov. JB Pritzker's signature on Dec. 17, 2021. The repeal became effective on June 1, 2022.

Chapman, represented by lawyers with the state of Missouri, asked the Supreme Court last year to take up her case and determine whether minors have the right to a judicial bypass hearing without parental notification. Her team believed that the Dobbs v. Jackson decision overturning Roe v. Wade could make a difference in the case.

The Supreme Court vacated the 8th Circuit's decision denying that Chapman had immunity from the minor's lawsuit. The court sent the case back to that court to be dismissed as moot. The justices did not provide reasoning for the ruling, but Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote a dissent. Jackson's dissent was primarily concerned with procedure, arguing that the court should not have intervened since the case had ended.

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Montana Judge Blocks Parental Consent Law, Allows Parental Notification

A Montana Judge issued a ruling permanently blocking Montana's state law requiring minors under the age of 16 to obtain parental consent before getting an abortion. The judge allowed a parental notification law to remain in force pending a court decision.

District Court Judge Christ Abbott wrote in his decision that the Montana state constitution's right to privacy renders the parental consent law unconstitutional and unenforceable.

“Minors can abstain from consuming alcohol or getting a tattoo with little effect on their futures, but the same cannot be said of keeping a pregnancy or having an abortion,” Judge Abbott wrote according to the Daily Montanan. “There are few decisions with higher or longer-lasting stakes in life than whether to become or stay pregnant, and even fewer (if any) with equally profound spiritual, physical, mental, social, and economic considerations. The complexity of the dilemma only reinforces its individuality and therefore its place at the core of personal privacy.”

The parental notification and consent requirements stemmed from a 2012 ballot measure in which 66% of Montana voters approved legislation requiring parental notification. Before legislators passed that bill into law, they changed it to further require parental consent with signatures. Pro-lifers in the state argue that this was necessary because abortion businesses instructed minors to send notification letters to fake addresses.

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Minnesota Passes Bill Legalizing Abortion Until Birth with No Restrictions

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D)

On Jan 28, the Minnesota state senate passed the Protective Reproductive Options (PRO) Act. This would codify a right to abortion until birth with no restrictions. The bill had already passed the House, and Gov. Tim Walz has publicly declared his intention to sign it into law.

Abortion is already considered a right through the 1995 court decision Doe v. Gomez. The passage of this law cements the legal protection of abortion in Minnesota. If Doe v. Gomez were overturned, a legal framework for abortion would still exist.

The Minnesota senate voted 34-33 along party lines to pass the bill. The previous week, the Minnesota House passed it by a vote of 69-65.

Like Illinois, Minnesota would allow abortion at all stages of pregnancy, and it would do so without any parental notification requirements.

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Arizona Court Upholds 15-Week Abortion Limit, Blocks 1864 Abortion Ban

An Arizona state Court of Appeals issued a ruling that Arizona's 1864 law banning all abortions is not enforceable due to exceptions carved out in more recent legislation.

“The question at the core of this appeal is whether a licensed physician who performs an elective abortion in conformity with more recent statutes in Title 36 is nevertheless subject to prosecution under §13 3603,” the Appeals Court panel wrote. “Because Title 36 permits physicians to perform elective abortions under certain circumstances, the answer is no.”

The three-judge panel unanimously ruled that although the 1864 law was never repealed, newer laws written to regulate abortion under Roe v. Wade created a set of rules that allow abortions. The court wrote that laws regarding waiting periods, parental notification, and the 15-week ban created a new legal framework allowing abortion. Essentially, they decided that these newer laws overrode the 1864 law except in cases when non-physicians might attempt to commit abortions.

Incoming pro-abortion Arizona attorney general Kris Mayes said that she will not appeal the decision, and incoming pro-abortion governor Katie Hobbs has declared her intent to get rid of the 15-week ban.

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March for Life Moves from Chicago to Springfield

March for Life Chicago has officially changed its name to Illinois March for Life. Rather than organizing events in Chicago, the group plans to organize annual marches and rallies in the state capital during the state legislative session.

The next march and rally will take place in Springfield on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. This will allow pro-lifers to make their voices heard while state legislators are present to work and vote on laws.

Abortion businesses are flocking to Illinois from neighboring states to facilitate abortions for women traveling across the midwest and the rest of the country. Last year, Illinois legislators repealed the Parental Notification of Abortion Act. This deprived parents of the ability to be aware of significant events in their daughters' lives, including rape.

By moving the event from Chicago to Springfield, organizers hope to amplify the voices of pro-lifers and work even harder to save the lives of unborn children in Illinois and beyond.

Click here to read March for Life Illinois's official announcement.

California Ballot Item would End All Limits on Abortion and its Funding

California voters are voting on a proposed amendment to the state's constitution that would create a right to state-funded abortion on demand with no limits. "Proposition 1" would also prevent legislators from enacting common-sense laws like parental notification, informed consent, and health-related regulations for abortion businesses.

California law still uses the viability limit established by the Supreme Court before Roe v. Wade was overturned. This meant that aborting a child who could reasonably survive outside of the mother's womb was only allowed if the baby's or mother's life is in danger. Proposal 1 does not reference any viability standards.

Proposal 1 states:

"The state shall not deny or interfere with an individual's reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, which includes their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and their fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives. This section is intended to further the constitutional right to privacy guaranteed by Section 1, and the constitutional right to not be denied equal protection guaranteed by Section 7. Nothing herein narrows or limits the right to privacy or equal protection."

Michigan has a similar proposal on its ballot this year. Now that the federal right to abortion created by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade has been overturned, pro-abortion legislators are working to fill that space through state legislation or constitutional amendments. These initiatives prove that, even though Roe v. Wade has been overturned, pro-life advocates need to stay involved in elections to protect the unborn. 

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Federal Appeals Court Lifts Injunction Against Indiana Parental Notification Law

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita

On July 28, the 7th Circuit US Court of Appeals lifted an injunction against an Indiana law requiring abortion businesses to notify the parents or guardians of a minor who schedules an abortion.

“This pro-life victory is not just a win for me or this office,” Attorney General Todd Rokita said. “It’s a win for all Hoosiers who believe in protecting the sanctity of life, the health of women and the crucial importance of families.”

Indiana also has a parental consent law, but it includes an exception for minors who receive a judge's permission. Even in these cases, however, the parental notification law would still be enforced.

This is a stark contrast with Illinois. It does not have a parental consent law, and state legislators repealed the Parental Notice of Abortion Act last year. The repeal went into effect at the beginning of June. Now, Illinois abortion businesses can actively undercut these pro-life protections being provided by Indiana law.

Attorney General Rokita won three other abortion cases this month as well:

• On July 7, a federal district court lifted an injunction on the state's dismemberment abortion ban.

• On July 11, an appellate court vacated judgments in Whole Woman’s Health Alliance v. Rokita which invalidated several pro-life laws.

• On July 18, a US District Court vacated a judgment blocking a law that banned discriminatory abortions based on the unborn child's race, sex, or disability diagnosis.

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US House Again Passes Bill to Codify Roe

On July 15, pro-abortion politicians in the US House of Representatives once again passed legislation that would stop states from restricting abortion. This is the third time that the House has passed the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA); which would go even farther than codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law.

This third push is seen primarily as a symbolic effort rally pro-abortion voters for the 2022 midterm election. The US Senate does not have enough pro-abortion votes to bypass a filibuster by pro-life Senators.

If passed into law, the WHPA would not only prevent states from enforcing laws that ban abortion; it would also prevent them from enforcing parental consent laws, parental notification laws, ultrasound requirements, waiting-period laws, informed-consent requirements, bans on discriminatory abortions (based on a child's race, sex, or disability), and other safety regulations.

“We must ensure that the American people remember in November because with two more Democratic senators, we will be able to eliminate the filibuster when it comes to a woman’s right to choose and to make reproductive freedom the law of the land,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

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March for Life Chicago Condemns Pritzker's Campaign to Make Illinois an Abortion Destination

March for Life Chicago called out Gov. J.B Pritzker for his recent comments indicating that he intends to make Illinois a destination for midwesterners seeking abortion; especially if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade in its upcoming Dobbs v. Jackson ruling.

“Governor Pritzker, do you really think out-of-state families want an Illinois tourism guide with a cover that reads: Welcome to the abortion capital of the Midwest?” responded March for Life Chicago Director Kevin Grillot. “Take a look at neighboring states and you will see that the Midwest is not a place for abortions, but a place for families.”

Pritzker signed a bill into law last year that repealed Illinois's only pro-life policy. The Parental Notice of Abortion Act required abortion businesses to notify the parents of a minor who schedules an abortion. That law went into effect June 1, 2022.

“As dedicated life advocates continue to win entire states, it will not be long before the Midwest pro-life movement is concentrated on Illinois. When that time comes, Governor Pritzker, what do you think the 78% of Illinois residents in favor of parental notification of abortion will do when they learn you repealed their parental rights?” Grillot continued.

“It’s about saving Midwestern lives, those of women and their children,” Grillot said. “We invite all Midwesterners to stand for life, especially following the release of the United States Supreme Court Dobbs decision which could overturn Roe v. Wade.”

“One opportunity for the people of Illinois and around the Midwest to affirm life is our upcoming Dobbs Life Rally and March on Saturday, July 9, 2022,” shared Grillot. That event is at 2 p.m. on Chicago’s Federal Plaza (50 West Adams).

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Illinois Parental Notice Repeal Became Effective June 1

The repeal of Illinois's Parental Notice of Abortion Act, signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in December, became effective on June 1. Abortion businesses are no longer required to notify the parents of a minor seeking abortion.

“Illinois is now the only state in the Midwest that does not have Parental Notification in place, an open invitation to out-of-state minors to pursue abortions in Illinois,” Kevin Grillot, Executive Director of the March for Life Chicago, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Parental Notice of Abortion Act was passed in 1995. It wasn't enforced until 2013 due to a lawsuit from pro-abortion groups. The law simply required abortion businesses to notify the parents or guardians of minors seeking an abortion. This notification had to happen at least 48 hours before the scheduled abortion. The law did not require the parents' permission. Additionally, minors could get approval from a judge to bypass the parental notification requirement.

The Parental Notice of Abortion Act gave parents the opportunity to speak with their daughters about the decision, and it provided an avenue by which sex traffickers could be caught. Without the notification requirement, sex traffickers who harm minors can use abortion businesses to hide their crimes.

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Thousands Marched for Life in Chicago

Thousands of pro-life advocates rallied at March for Life Chicago on Jan 8 to protest abortion and march for their cause.

Hosted by weDignifiy, the event brought pro-lifers together to protest abortion and fight for a culture of life. 

“We’re really excited this year to have such a far-reaching march of people from so many states, as far as Nebraska and Kansas and, of course, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa,” Director of Marketing Caitlyn Bootsma told Live Action News. “Because we can see as the abortion industry becomes increasingly aggressive here in Illinois, with parental notification just being repealed, it’s more important than ever to come together as a pro-life movement to really fight for change and build a culture of life.”

weDignify held a rally shortly before the march that included encouraging speeches from multiple pro-life leaders. That rally can be viewed here.

Click here to read more.

Gov. Pritzker Signs Bill Repealing Parental Notification

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D)

On Friday, Dec. 17, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed House Bill 370, repealing the Parental Notice of Abortion Act. 

The Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995 required doctors to notify a pregnant minor's parent or guardian 48 hours before the minor has an abortion. With the law repealed, abortion clinics will have the ability to hide pregnancies and abortions from parents. These parents will be unable to provide counsel or emotional support to their daughters during incredibly stressful moments in their lives.

“With reproductive rights under attack across the nation, Illinois is once again establishing itself as a leader in ensuring access to healthcare services,” Pritzker said in a press release. “This repeal was essential, because it was the most vulnerable pregnant minors who were punished by this law: victims of rape and physical abuse in unsafe homes. I thank Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin), Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) and the lawmakers and advocates who have fiercely fought to repeal this law and keep vulnerable young people safe. I’m proud that Illinois continues to be a national leader in protecting reproductive rights.”

Planned Parenthood applauded the Governor for signing the repeal.

"Thank you Governor Pritzker for signing the Youth Health and Safety Act [HB370] into law," said Jennifer Welch, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Illinois Action. "Together, we're ensuring that young people can involve whomever they trust in their health care decisions, protecting them from harmful domestic situations and unnecessary judicial interactions."

The repeal not only makes it more difficult for parents to be involved in their daughters lives, it also makes it easier for bad actors to abuse young girls in Illinois. Sex traffickers and rapists no longer have to fear that an abortion business will inform a girl's parents about an abortion. This makes it easier for them to separate those girls from their parents or get away with their crimes simply by intimidating girls into silence.

Lauretta Froelich, a former prosecutor from the Office of the Cook County State's Attorney, is one of many voices who stated disappointment at Gov. Pritzker's decision.

"I am appalled that Governor Pritzker would sign a bill repealing our commonsense Parental Notification of Abortion Act. With his signature, Pritzker has opened the borders of the State of Illinois to pedophiles, sex offenders, and traffickers of minors. Illinois is now less safe for minor girls," Froelich said.

Mark Curran, who served as the Sheriff of Lake County from 2006-2008, also gave a statement following the repeal.

"In the twelve years that I served as the Sheriff of Lake County, bordering the State of Wisconsin, it was always a priority of my office to be vigilant about monitoring for the sex trafficking of minors across state lines. The Illinois Parental Notification of Abortion Law was a valued safeguard for law enforcement, providing us with an additional layer of protection for young girls. It is deeply troubling that Governor Pritzker would sign a bill removing that safeguard, effectively putting out a “welcome mat” for those who criminally abuse children. Pritzker has made the jobs of law enforcement officials that much more difficult – particularly for those areas that serve counties and towns bordering our neighboring states."

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Pro-Life Illinois Senators Call on General Assembly to Protect Parental Rights

Last week, the women of the Senate Republican Caucus held a press conference during which they urged legislators to protect parental rights and defend the Parental Notice of Abortion (PNA) Act. Pro-abortion lawmakers have indicated that they might attempt to force through a bill repealing PNA during the final days of the fall veto session this week.

PNA requires the parents or guardians of minors to be notified 48 hours before the minor has an abortion. Parental consent is not required, and it is possible for minors to bypass the notification requirement.

Senate Republican Deputy Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris), State Senator Jil Tracy (R-Quincy), State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), and State Senator Sally Turner (R-Beason) each gave statements in defense of PNA.

During the press conference, Deputy Leader Rezin said,

“This is an issue about parental rights, and whether you believe it is acceptable to keep parents in the dark about a very serious healthcare decision being made by their child. As a mother of two daughters, I strongly believe it is a parent’s right to be made aware of their daughter’s health and their healthcare decisions. If parents are left in the dark, we will not be able to provide them with the support and care during one of their most difficult times in their life. That is why I intend to stand up for every parent in Illinois and fight against any attempt to erode the Parental Notice of Abortion Act.”

Sen. Tracy argued that parents' input during a situation as stressful as an unplanned pregnancy is vitally important:

“Every parent or guardian has the responsibility to provide for the physical and mental health, and safety, of their children. Most parents have had to write a note or make a phone call to their child’s school to allow basic medications like ibuprofen or aspirin to be taken at school. If we take such care in situations like that, how do we justify doing away with parental notification of abortions? A pregnant 14-year-old girl does not have the emotional maturity to deal with all the implications of her difficult decision, which could have lifelong consequences no matter what choice she makes.”

“The Majority Party wants to punish good, supportive parents who want nothing more than to be there for their young daughter during the hardest time of her life, all under the guise of protecting the abused,” said Sen. Bryant.

“There are avenues for young women to pursue if they feel unsafe with having a parent informed of their decision. Any attempt to repeal parental notification is a direct attack on parental rights. Being a mother and a grandmother, I refuse to allow Democrat lawmakers to tie the hands of parents, allowing children to undergo a serious medical procedure without the guidance and support of a parent.”

Sen. Turner pointed out that PNA not only empowers parents to be present during an important moment in their daughters' lives, but it also protects young girls from the dangers of sex trafficking. 

“Under the Parental Notice of Abortion Act, any facility conducting an abortion for a minor must notify their parent or legal guardian in advance of that procedure. Sex trafficking experts believe this notification process is a vital step in identifying potential victims who have gone under the radar. If we vote to repeal this Act, we make it easier for sexual predators and sex traffickers to abuse the children of our state.”

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