Florida Legislature 2005 (click for ongoing coverage)

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Proposal for parental notice for abortions goes to Bush

TALLAHASSEE - Parents would be told when their minor daughters seek abortions under a bill the Legislature passed Friday.

A 96-14 vote in the House sent the measure (CS-HB 1659) to Gov. Jeb Bush, who signed a similar parental notice bill into law in 1999, only to have it blocked by the courts.

Lawmakers were widely expected to pass a new parental notice law this session after voters approved a constitutional amendment in November to remove the legal obstacles. But the House and Senate developed parental notice bills with significant differences.

The chambers worked out their differences Thursday and the Senate passed the bill 36-3, sending it to the House for its vote Friday.

The bill applies to girls younger than 18 who are not married and don't already have children. Doctors would be required to notify a parent in person or by phone 48 hours before performing an abortion or, if that's not possible, by certified mail 72 hours in advance.

A girl could go to a trial judge and seek a waiver of the notice requirement. A judge could grant a waiver based on a girl's maturity, or because she has been a victim of parental abuse, or if telling the parents is not in the girl's best interest.

Supporters say parents must know what's going on with their daughters. Opponents say girls who are afraid to go to their parents, sometimes for good reason, will be in danger if they try to end their pregnancies themselves.

In 2003, the state Supreme Court ruled that the previous law violated the privacy rights of teens. That prompted the Legislature last year to approve a ballot measure carving out an exception to the privacy provision of the Florida Constitution. Voters in November overwhelmingly approved it.

[Last modified May 7, 2005, 01:01:10]