Whitfield Praises Passage of Parental Notification Bill

Whitfield Praises Passage of Parental Notification Bill

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed S. 403, the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, a bill that would crack down on individuals who avoid parental notification laws by transporting minors across state lines to get an abortion.

U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield voted for the bill, which passed the House by a vote of 264 to 153. The bill must now be passed by the Senate.

"Parental consent is required for a number of everyday activities, such as providing a child asprin, taking them on school field trips, or allowing them to participate in contact sports. The fact that people other than parents can secretly take children across state lines for abortions, without their parents even knowing about it, is absurd," said Whitfield.

The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act makes it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines to get an abortion in order to avoid state laws requiring parental involvement in a minors abortion decision. The bill also makes it a federal crime for an abortion provider to fail to give at least 24 hours notice to a minors parents or legal guardian of a minors abortion decision.

Kentucky law requires that a parent or legal guardian be notified in cases where a minor decides to have an abortion. Kentucky law also requires at least one parent or guardian to give written consent before the abortion can proceed.

"Parents have a right to be involved in decisions that affect their children, especially a decision as serious as abortion. I was proud to support this legislation, and I hope that the Senate will follow suit and pass this bill before Congress adjourns," said Whitfield.

http://whitfield.house.gov/news/press.aspx?id=155