March 15, 2021

House Committee Hearing for Parental Notification Repeal Set for Tuesday at 3:00 PM


This afternoon, the House Human Services Committee scheduled a hearing for HB 1797. It will be heard in that committee tomorrow, March 16, at 3:00 pm.

If passed into law, this bill would repeal the Parental Notification of Abortion Act.

We would ask that you please contact your legislator if they are on this committee, and file a witness slip in opposition to this pro-abortion legislation.

The Parental Notification of Abortion Act requires abortionists to notify a parent or guardian of a minor who plans to have an abortion. Not only does this help to involve parents in this life-changing decision, but it also helps to expose crimes of rape and abuse. In many situations, a minor could be pressured to hide the circumstances of her pregnancy otherwise.

The law is already lenient. A minor's parents are only notified. The minor is not required to obtain consent from her parents to follow-through on her intent to have an abortion. Current law further allows minors to avoid the parental notification requirement altogether if she makes her case to a judge. The intent behind this exception is that some girls fear they would be abused by their parents if they are notified about their intent to have abortions. However, this exception only enables abusive parents rather than helping their victims. After having an abortion, these girls will go right back home to the parents whom they fear.

By exposing abuse and allowing parents to have conversations with their daughters about abortion and the tough situations they are facing (possibly involving rape that would otherwise simply be covered up) the Parental Notification of Abortion Act does a great service.

Click here to file a witness slip opposing HB 1793.

If your legislator is on the House Human Services Committee, please contact them and tell them to oppose the repeal of the Parental Notification of Abortion Act. Click here to see the list of legislators on the committee. You can click on their names to see contact information.