Replies

"I bet PP has already picked the judge to overturn it."

They *can't* - that's the point.

The FL legislature has passed several parental notification laws over the years, and the FL Supreme Court has ruled that each of them violated the FL Constitution, saying that these laws conflicted with minors' right to privacy as enumerated in the FL Constitution. (Unlike the U.S. Constitution, the FL Constitution explicitly stipulates a right to privacy.)

After being stymied for all of these years, some members of the FL Legislature sponsored this amendment. If it passes, it will AMEND the FL Constitution to state that parental notification prior to an abortion does NOT conflict with a minor's right to privacy stipulated elsewhere in the FL Constitution. (Take that, FL Supremes!)

This amendment would also specifically permit the Legislature to pass a parental notification law, so long as the law contains a judicial bypass (i.e., allowing a judge to consent to a minor's abortion if the minor can show good reason not to notify the parents). The Legislature would still need to pass a new parental notification law complying with the terms of this constitutional amendment before any parental notification requirement can go into effect.

Thus, if this amendment passes, the FL Supreme Court's hands will be tied, unless they can trump up some other "conflict" with the FL Constitution. The only other way for PP to prevent this would be a U.S. Supreme Court challenge, but I think that there are other states that already have parental notification laws that have passed muster with the U.S. Supreme Court. So, the FL Legislature should have some models to work from in constructing a parental notification law that will withstand the federal courts.

I sure hope that Amendment #1 passes!

You seem to have good information on Florida -- can you verify the presence or post to this thread things related?

I want to try to cut United Way contributing to Planned Parenthood -- even though the United Way is a bad organization (attempting to cut off Boy Scout funding, for example).

Maybe those who are nervous about the election, and have idle keyboards can do research on United Way and Planned Parenthood links, etc.

Remember these folks STRONGLY supported Kerry, and Kerry wanted this support.