U.S. state New Hampshire repeals parental notice abortion law

[GraceAbounds]

U.S. state New Hampshire repeals parental notice abortion law NORMA LOVE Associated Press Writer
(AP) - CONCORD, New Hampshire-New Hampshire on Friday became the first U.S. state to repeal a law requiring parental notification for teenagers to get abortions.
The repeal took effect immediately after New Hampshire Governor John Lynch signed the bill.


"I strongly believe parents should be involved in these decisions, providing important support and guidance," said Lynch. "Unfortunately that is not possible in every case. The Supreme Court found this law unconstitutional because it fails to protect the health and safety of all women, which is why I am signing its repeal."
New Hampshire is the first state to repeal a parental notice law, according to Dawn Touzin of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, whose lawsuit had tied up the law in court.
The 2003 New Hampshire law never was enforced because of Planned Parenthood's suit. It required abortion providers to notify at least one parent 48 hours or more before performing an abortion on a minor.
State Rep. Fran Wendelboe, who fought to keep the law on the books, criticized Lynch for "siding with the abortion lobby against parents' rights to be involved with their (daughters') medical care."
"It's unsafe for young teens to have a surgical procedure like that without an adult aware of the possibility of complications," she said.
Republican Party Chairman Fergus Cullen said Lynch took a radical approach to a moderate law that could have been fixed.
"One can be pro-choice and still believe that parents have a right to know whether their minor daughter became pregnant," said Cullen. "Governor Lynch is saying that parents don't have a right to know their minor children became pregnant."
Forty-four U.S. states have parental notification or consent laws. Nine, including New Hampshire's, were unenforceable, according to NARAL Pro-Choice America, which filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Planned Parenthood's challenge.
Repeal supporters said the issue was about an unconstitutional law, not abortion or parental rights.
"I deeply believe that as a state we must continue to work to reduce the need for abortions and to achieve greater parental involvement in these important decisions, in a manner consistent with our constitution," Lynch said in a statement.
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On the Net:
N.H. parental notification law, RSA 132 CHAPTER 132 PROTECTION FOR MATERNITY AND INFANCY
Text of repeal bill: HB 0184
Background on parental notification laws: NARAL Pro-Choice America

All states need to fight to keep this from happening.

 

[All Else Failed]

Yay for curbing human rights.


Its the pregnant woman's choice, not their parents.

 

[GuesSAngel]

Okay, well what about a 13 year old child? Should that be her choice?

 

[GraceAbounds]

Parents are legally responsible for their children. If my daughter starts hemorrhaging, starts feeling suicidal, has been raped, I need to know so that I can take care of her.

Human rights, my butt.

 

[All Else Failed]

Okay, well what about a 13 year old child? Should that be her choice?

I really do not see a problem with a pregnant teen seeking an abortion by herself.

 

[GraceAbounds]

I really do not see a problem with a pregnant teen seeking an abortion by herself.

That in and of its self is a problem.

 

[NightWarrior]

I read a story recently where a 19 year old guy got an 11 year old girl pregnant. Not only was he charged with statutory rape, both the guys mother and the girls mother were charged with something as well because they both consented to this disgusting act. She ended up having the child. So at 20, she will have an 8 year old child. Are you saying that this 11 year old should be able to decide on her own? You have to think of all possible scenerio's where laws like this play out. You can't just envision the 16 yr old girl who got pregnant and wants to terminate. You have to think about the 11-14 year olds who have no where near the capacity to handle a situation like this alone. I would also assume you don't have a daughter because I suspect your tone would be different.

 

[AUDRAA]

I think I have a pretty good place to put a strong opinion in here, seeing I was a teen mom. I think that every situation needs to be considered individually, and yes while if my daughter was pregnant at a very young age I would want to know, and hopefullly I am doing my job well enough as a parent that she would feel comfortable enough coming to me if she ever got herself in such a situation. But on the other hand there are girls that just cant go to there parents for on reason or the other, and will end up in some back alley having a butcher abortion that may mess them up for the rest of their lives for what? a stupid mistake that they made because they werent mature enough to handle it at the time. Teen sex isnt going to end, but there definity needs to be some kind of parental education somewhere here on communication, afterall the ones we are dealing with here are children.

 

[All Else Failed]

That in and of its self is a problem.

Let me clarify, I do think it would be a good idea for a certain age group to be required to let their parents know if they are pregnant. Any girl under 16 sounds good.


But abortion to me is fine in the first trimester.

 

[GuesSAngel]

Let me clarify, I do think it would be a good idea for a certain age group to be required to let their parents know if they are pregnant. Any girl under 16 sounds good.


But abortion to me is fine in the first trimester.

this coming from a guy. it's a lot different from the otherside when you see the actual baby on picture, in the first trimester. I'm not against abortion, in fact if there would have been SERIOUS complications with my pregnancy I would have done it...but abortion is never 'fine'. And when I say serious, I mean if it would cause me to choose in a life or death situation for myself, or if the baby would basically come out to be a vegetable

 

[Sneakiecat]

this coming from a guy. it's a lot different from the otherside when you see the actual baby on picture, in the first trimester. I'm not against abortion, in fact if there would have been SERIOUS complications with my pregnancy I would have done it...but abortion is never 'fine'. And when I say serious, I mean if it would cause me to choose in a life or death situation for myself, or if the baby would basically come out to be a vegetable

At nine weeks, I had my first ultrasound and got to see it move and hear its heartbeat. And I agree with you, if there were serious problems, I would consider abortion. But it would not be a decision I would make lightly. And I don't think its a decision that many young girls could or should make alone.

 

[All Else Failed]

this coming from a guy. it's a lot different from the otherside when you see the actual baby on picture, in the first trimester. I'm not against abortion, in fact if there would have been SERIOUS complications with my pregnancy I would have done it...but abortion is never 'fine'. And when I say serious, I mean if it would cause me to choose in a life or death situation for myself, or if the baby would basically come out to be a vegetable

So?

Many women have the same point of view.


Also, don't you think men would feel the same sort of feelings seeing a picture of their baby?


What makes abortion not "fine"? To me, life isn't life until it had brainwaves.

 

[icecuban]

man, i think that since abortion is such a highly complicated subject, for the world we live in, that every other subject that has to do with it will be just as complicated. both sides have points. on one, you have the case of the parent knowing better or being able to provide comfort, because theres a good chance the minor may feel so ashamed that they hide it from them and others, causing stress on the girls mind. those among other good things parents can provide, but then there are the parents that dont know better. they dont want their child having an abortion, the child cant handle all the pressure, and takes a coat hanger to herself. there are defianatly times when the young adult knows better then the parent, (not that often) which is sad of course. but you have to think, wasnt it the parents responsabilty in the first place to educate them as to not do certain things? and when their teachings go unheard or untaught, they then feel a great disservice that they are not going to be notified of the abortion? a lot of parents dont have tremendously close relationships with their children, and then there are plenty that do,lol
like i said, this is complicated, it is a case by case subject that cant be handled case by case,lol, know what i mean?

 

[Maritxu]

Abortion is def. the most complicated debate topic I can think of. And I agree with the post above mine

 

[IntruderLS1]

IMO, the pro-choice group loses all credibility with the "it's her body" speech when they're talking about minors.

A minor is under the care of parents. They have the rights and privileges the parents choose to give them. If a kid can't buy an aspirin for a headache, in what universe is voluntary surgery okay to go in for?

I used to be in the pro-choice group. It wasn't a popular position to hold at times, but I felt like we had no right to butt into another persons life. Now that my wife is pregnant, and I've seen how human an 8 week old fetus is, I have changed my mind. That kid was alive, and he was human @ 8 weeks. Crazy stuff. You would have to see it to understand.

Weather you agree or dis-agree with the idea that the child is alive at that stage of development, I feel that it would be a terrible crime for a person who feels that child is alive to stand by do nothing as it is helplessly taken to the grave.

At what stage did America get this idea that anarchy freedom was a God given right to anybody born on our section of Earth? There HAS to be rules, and to more than anybody else, they HAVE to apply to our children. What kind of adults are we raising here??

 

[TheOriginalJames]

I read a story recently where a 19 year old guy got an 11 year old girl pregnant. Not only was he charged with statutory rape, both the guys mother and the girls mother were charged with something as well because they both consented to this disgusting act. She ended up having the child. So at 20, she will have an 8 year old child. Are you saying that this 11 year old should be able to decide on her own? You have to think of all possible scenerio's where laws like this play out. You can't just envision the 16 yr old girl who got pregnant and wants to terminate. You have to think about the 11-14 year olds who have no where near the capacity to handle a situation like this alone. I would also assume you don't have a daughter because I suspect your tone would be different.

Well geez, talk about taking the examples to the very very very extreme here...

Things are fucked up in this world. I don't care about this law or it being repealed either way, but I have always stated that it's the expecting mothers decision. Abortion within the first trimester, or awaiting the birth and given up for adoption, whatever her choice is is what should happen.

I'm pro-choice 100%. You won't change my opinion, but there it is.

 

[GraceAbounds]

It is not about pro life or pro choice. It is about parents being informed that their child is pregnant and may be having surgery. Any other surgery needs parent consent, but not abortion. Imagine how you would feel if your child was pregnant, you didn't know, and your child died from complications of the abortion you didn't know about. Having an abortion is a serious procedure. We need to be able to be there for our kids, we are responsible for them, we love them.

 

[All Else Failed]

IMO, the pro-choice group loses all credibility with the "it's her body" speech when they're talking about minors.

A minor is under the care of parents. They have the rights and privileges the parents choose to give them. If a kid can't buy an aspirin for a headache, in what universe is voluntary surgery okay to go in for?

I used to be in the pro-choice group. It wasn't a popular position to hold at times, but I felt like we had no right to butt into another persons life. Now that my wife is pregnant, and I've seen how human an 8 week old fetus is, I have changed my mind. That kid was alive, and he was human @ 8 weeks. Crazy stuff. You would have to see it to understand.

Weather you agree or dis-agree with the idea that the child is alive at that stage of development, I feel that it would be a terrible crime for a person who feels that child is alive to stand by do nothing as it is helplessly taken to the grave.

At what stage did America get this idea that anarchy freedom was a God given right to anybody born on our section of Earth? There HAS to be rules, and to more than anybody else, they HAVE to apply to our children. What kind of adults are we raising here??

Well, if you are talking about ACTUAL anarcho societal theory, they have rules and boards of directors as well.

 

[TheOriginalJames]

It is not about pro life or pro choice. It is about parents being informed that their child is pregnant and may be having surgery. Any other surgery needs parent consent, but not abortion. Imagine how you would feel if your child was pregnant, you didn't know, and your child died from complications of the abortion you didn't know about. Having an abortion is a serious procedure. We need to be able to be there for our kids, we are responsible for them, we love them.

That's what this law is accomoplishing, IMO. Parents need to be there for their kids.

IE; parents need to TALK TO THEIR CHILDREN about sex, pregnancy, abortions, children, and the whole la-de-da.

Education prevents underage pregnancies (aside from rape).

Education prevents a lot of things that SHOULDN'T take place, but sadly enough in todays society it's all about both parents working, both parents taking a semi-active role in their child's upbringing.

Between my brother, myself and my sister, none of us had kids before the age of 20. This came from education and parents who talked to us.

The law that was repealed should never have been voted in in the first place.

 

[All Else Failed]

I agree that sex ed should be taught more. You NEED to teach this stuff to kids at an earlier age.


But I still think it should ALWAYS be an option for a women to get an abortion. I only support first trimester abortions though.