The Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, significantly changed a controversial parental notification bill.
The bill would have required parents to be notified of a minor?s pending abortion.
The Committee?s amendment throws passage of the bill into question.
NHPR's Dan Gorenstein reports.
In a move that surprised many observers, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed an amendment that effectively took the parental notification out of a parental notification bill.
Originally, the House-passed measure required health care providers contact at least one parent before a minor received an abortion.
If providers ignored the law they could face a fine and possibly some jail time.
Under the amendment passed late Tuesday afternoon, abortion providers must only encourage minors to seek parental involvement.
Republican Andy Peterson chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Track 2
:22 the amendment is modeled after some of the neighboring states law, most particularly on the CT law. Where it is required that a number of steps are followed when they come in requesting an abortion. And counseling and consultation are laid out.
But the requirement that parents be notified prior to any procedure no longer exists in the Senate bill.
And for Senator Klegg, who opposed the change, the bill not only has no teeth...it's got no point.
Track 10
:04 obviously the amendment does absolutely nothing. It is an amendment to give counseling, which we already are supposed to do now...as I said in committee I would stand up and oppose the amendment and push for the bill as it was written. Parental notification is the thing we are looking for, and it is what I will continue to fight for.
Senator Klegg's desire to continue to push for parental notification should certainly please Governor Craig Benson.
THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID HE WOULD SIGN THE BILL THAT NARROWLY PASSED THE HOUSE.
YESTERDAY DURING SENATE COMMITTEE HEARINGS The Governor TESTIFIED that parents should HAVE THE RIGHT TO determine a child's fate.
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:12...One of the things I think is totally wrong is the state asserts itself in one of the most important decisions my daughters may ever have to make without advice from their father or mother. We ask our parents to be responsible every single day. Yet when it comes ot a very very important decision we take that away from them. I think it is time we restore that respect and dignity and decision making authority where it rightfully should be and that is with the parents.
Benson may try to apply pressure to Senators to join the House in passing the more strict parental notification bill.
Both Republicans and Democrats say a full Senate vote could go either way.
But State Representative Democrat Terri Norrelli, who opposes the House bill says the amendment may help increase the odds of passage.
Track 13
1:12 the vote was split right down the middle with pass, or not pass, hopefully this will give some people who are on the fence another option to support it.
The amendment also serves a political purpose.
AT ELECTION TIME, IT ALLOWS ALL LAWMAKERS TO SAY THEY VOTED FOR PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN SUCH A SERIOUS DECISION.
The bill faces more intrigue to come.
The full Senate could vote to restore the original language.
IF THAT DOESN?T HAPPEN, THE SENATE BILL WILL FACE THE HOUSE BILL IN A COMMITTEE WHERE BOTH SIDES MEET TO COMPROMISE.
For NHPR News, I'm DG.
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