8mm
Posted on 02/26/2007 5:17:32 PM PST by wagglebee
BOISE, Idaho - A bill that would require unmarried girls under 18 in Idaho to get consent from their parents before getting an abortion has moved a step closer to becoming law.
The Senate voted 23-12 Monday for the measure that would require most girls to get written permission from one parent before the procedure could be performed. Girls who don't want to tell their parents can petition a judge to allow an abortion in cases of incest or abuse, a medical emergency or if the judge decides the girl is mature enough to decide on her own.
"We require parental consent for an aspirin or a bandage to be administered at school, yet she can go in and get an abortion with no consent whatsoever," said Sen. Russ Fulcher, R-Meridian, who is sponsoring the bill. Fulcher said his measure is intended to make sure minors don't make such weighty decisions without the counsel of their families. Fulcher said he has heard no legal objections to his proposal.
A provision that requires a court-appointed guardian to report any crimes related to the pregnancy _ including sex between unmarried adults, which is illegal in Idaho _ and another that required a doctor to tell a girls' parents after performing a medical emergency abortion have been dropped from the bill. A judge in 2005 ruled both provisions to be unconstitutional.
The bill now moves to the House for discussion.
Some lawmakers still objected to the bill, saying it could put already-vulnerable young women in an even more difficult situation.
Petitioning a judge for an abortion is too complicated a process to expect a young woman to go through when she's probably already scared, said Sen. Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum.
"This law is unnecessary for good families, and it's ineffective for families that don't have that kind of support system," Stennett said.
Lobbyists for Planned Parenthood and the Idaho Women's Network have said they will continue to oppose the bill.
Speaking of life support, the development of the artificial womb will radically change if not squash the whole abortion debate.
Have the Japanese gotten beyond the seventeen weeks of artificial support they have proven with 'other' higher mammals?
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In virtually every state, a minor can marry before age 18 with parental consent. The minimum age varies from state to state.
I currently have absolute authority to direct my daughter's medical care. She can't get a tooth drilled without my signoff. And trust me, the kind of parent who would have their kid strapped down for an abortion is already out there forcing their daugfhters to do it with old-fashioned bullying. As one of many examples, take the woman who was on O'Reilly a few months back talking about how her parents forced her to have a late-term abortion at "Tiller the Killer's" facility in Nebraska.
And that's what it comes down to, ladies and gentlemen.
It won't squash it. Libs will suddenly develop a sense of fiscal responsibility and ask who will pay for these children to be supported until term. They will demand that poor women still have the right to kill their child.
It's been my practice to not fill prescriptions for birth control for minors unless the parents pick up the prescription. This may seem like a HIPAA/privacy issue, but it really isn't. If the teen wants to have the parent come and pick up the meds, then they can have them do it. I am not contacting the parents at all.
It just violates my conscience to do otherwise. Birth control just becomes so 'popular' that young girls are not hip if they aren't taking it.... and next thing you know, the girls are taking their friends to the PA or MD who gave them THEIR birth control.
I think that's appropriate for prescription medications. Do you address the parents about it when they pick up a prescription, or do you assume it is their own business?
I ask because I was put on birth control pills when I was 14; I was not having sex and had no prospect of it, and they were prescribed by my doctor for another reason (with my parents' full endorsement). Would you ask why this was being done, if parents picked them up?
sometimes.... at that age, yes. Some of the time it's used for acne...... I use discretion in this area
There are state and federally funded progrms that specifically target minors with the intent of getting prescription 'contraceptives' into their hands. I have gone head to head with county directors over this one.
Apologies for any duplicates. I logged off and later
did *not* see my replies in this thread. Thanks for
the post and for the "Idaho" ... was wondering how the
"ID" fit in.
Thanks for the answer. I would have pitied you if you had ever asked my mother about the prescription. :-D
Good point... but look at the opponents of the law
to see what what its actual effect tends to be.
In a conversation with a hematologist the other day, he said that he had been a bit naive about the effect of young girls taking birth control, even for health-related reasons (rather than avoiding pregnancy). He said that it promoted sexual activity, with all parties involved thinking that they had avoided the inherent risks.
------"Thanks for the answer. I would have pitied you if you had ever asked my mother about the prescription. :-D"-----
No problem. I hear you though...... I've been on the wrong side of a parents wrath more than once!! THAT'S one reaon to use discretion!
;)
All joking aside, I've disussed this with parents who really were using this with their 12 ish to 13 ish year old child and with much more positive than negative results. In fact, I think I had one IRATE parent out of the dozen or so that I can recall that I've had serious talks with. Often times the parent was the 'victim' being 'bullied' by the doctor/clinic/daughter and wanted to pursue things like 'contributing to the delinquency of a minor' etc.
When you think of things like this... handing out sexually explicit information to minors..... handing out condoms and birth control to minors..... handing out the morning after pill to minors(OR THEIR PERPETRATORS....... THIS HAPPENS MORE THAN YOU THINK).......
THIS IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE DELINQUENCY OF A MINOR!!!!
Of course this is a complete tangent.....but I had to go there.... it's been a bit since I've been on and this is my first post tonight.
;)
Roger that. (Most definintely)
Thankfully I work in a military environment and serve our MOST EXCELLENT men and women in the US ARMY..... I rarely have to deal with this issue...... but here's my dilemma..... there's some liberal physician(believe me..... there's all kinds in EVERY FIELD).... so there's this liberal physician or nurse or PA who thinks it is their mission to provide every 13 yr old with as much birth control, condoms, and morning after pill packs as they can fit into their school bags.....
I am the gateway.
I am also a Dr. of Pharmacy, so I have a say in what is legitimatet and appropriate medical and pharmaceutical care.....
my license is on the line as much as the physicians.....
I don't believe that cutting off the parent in life changing and gravely serious decisions such as sexual activity and chemical abortion is wise......
call me old fashioned or short sighted..... call me insensitive to the plight of the maladjusted teen..... call me overly optimistic of the capabilities of today's dysfunctional parents.......
but I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT IS WISE TO GO BEHIND THE PARENT'S BACK in circumstances such as this....
parents NEED to be involved at this juncture.......no matter how dysfunctional the situation. If it is THAT dysfunctional, then get temporary custody arranged and show me the documents...(yes, I've seen this situation)
Sorry.... another rant.
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