Parental notification proposition back on the California ballot

The initiative has sparked up old issues after a similar proposition was voted down in the last election.

By Jessica Lane
The Daily Gazette

Proposition 85 would require parental notification, not consent. Photo: mhs.net
The proposition raises questions about the future of abortion laws in California. Photo: AP by Joe Marquette

California voters will get to decide whether or not to impose a 48 hour waiting period on minors wishing to receive an abortion. This means if the proposition is passed, doctors must contact the parents of the child before any procedure takes place.

Proposition 85 is almost identical to Proposition 73, which was rejected last year. If voters pass the proposition California will be the 35th state in the country mandating parental notification.

The proposition does allow for a minor to receive a court order waiving notice if the minor can prove they are in danger. This may be the case if someone within the girl’s home is in fact the father of the child.

Opponents such as Miriam Zerade from Planned Parenthood say that the court order is unrealistic and would take too long to be effective. Because of this she believes that girls will take dangerous measures to terminate the pregnancy.

Supporters of the initiative disagree. Astrid Bennett Guttierrez, a counselor at Los Angeles Pregnancy Services believes that the court order will not only be effective, but it will draw attention to bad situations that girls might be having at home.

The proposition would change long standing laws in California. According to a proposition summary prepared by the Attorney General, minors and adults have been allowed to receive the same type of medical care for a pregnancy since 1953. This law and later legal developments related to abortion have allowed for minors to receive abortions without notification or consent.