Each state has its own laws regarding abortion, within federal Constitutional limits (undue burden, judicial bypass, etc). Many people have argued that Roe v. Wade should be overturned, and the states should decide their own abortion laws, without those limits.
And yet. The House has passed a bill that basically imposes state laws on people out of state. So if someone has access to transportation and can get across state lines to have an abortion in a state that does not require parental consent (don't forget about that judicial bypass option, as hard as it may be), that's no longer allowed under this Bill.
The bill also imposes a 24 hour waiting period on anyone going to another state, even if with parents. So I get that the fed can regulate this - interstate commerce, etc. But I'm just a little confused about if abortion is to be a state's rights issue, or a federal issue.
H.R. 748 is called the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act. It includes language making it illegal to take a minor across state lines to have an abortion if her home state requires parental consent.
(via informed public)
Commentary from Center for Reproductive Rights, Feminist Majority Foundation.
On a similar topic, the state of FL has blocked the abortion of a teen in its custody.
"The state agency argued the 13 1/2-week pregnant girl -- described as L.G. in court documents -- is too young and immature to make an informed medical decision, according to the ACLU appeal. " And then no action was taken. Um, can we move on this?
Why would they want to force a teenager to have a child if she thinks she doesn't want it? I mean, even if she's not mature enough to make the decision, how is she possibly mature enough to have a baby? Apparently, however, "state law prohibits the department from consenting to an abortion for a minor in any instance." I want to find this law, and how it's possibly upheld. If a minor needs parental consent, and the state agency is standing in loco parentis, and the state can't consent to a minor having an abortion, and a minor who tries to get permission from the court can't, well, then what the hell is she supposed to do?
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