In a 12-11 vote, the state senate has passed a parental notification bill that is very similar to one approved by the House.
The much-anticipated vote drew a standing room only crowd in the Senate gallery today/yesterday.
NHPR?s Dan Gorenstein reports.
One person in attendance to watch the parental notification vote was Citizens for Life Executive Director Roger Stenson.
The Senate vote, he says, literally answered prayers.
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:09 my daughter asked me last night if I would take her to church so I could take her to Mass this morning. And pray for this. And that is what I did, I dropped her off at church this morning.
But those prayers weren?t answered quickly.
It took the Senate nearly 3 ? hours to debate, amend and pass a proposal.
The final bill strongly resembles the House measure.
It requires abortion providers notify a parent 48 hours prior to performing an abortion to a girl 18 or younger.
But at the start of the morning session, senators considered a very different plan.
That version merely required abortion providers to advise and encourage minors to involve parents if appropriate.
Senator Andy Peterson thought the bill fair.
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1:08 I have joined in a personal battle of conscious on this issue, and have come to respect the views of all who honestly undertake to find?a just and proper balance between the responsibilities of government and individual rights.
That measure failed 13-10.
Senator Frank Sapereto offered up an amendment that would have restricted who could seek a judicial by-pass around the law.
Sapareto?s plan said only victims of rape, incest or abuse could take advantage of the by-pass option.
Critics of that plan, like Senator Bob Klegg, say Sapareto?s amendment clearly fails court scrutiny.
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:58 so if we vote for this amendment, we vote with the full knowledge that courts find it unconstitutional, therefore, you are not voting for parental notification, but in fact voting to do away with it.
Sapereto, who opposed the measure that eventually passed the Senate, says broad accessibility of the judicial by-pass renders the Senate bill little more than feel good legislation.
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:09 I still think there are flaws in with that bill. I hope the public is aware that they don?t have notification?any woman who is allowed such an easy by-pass, what have we really done, other than fool the public.
Sapareto and others have also questioned the Senate bill?s constitutionality.
The primary contention is that in the House bill, abortion providers can ignore the notification requirement only if the young woman?s life is in danger.
Some federal courts have ruled against those laws, saying providers must also consider the health of the young woman.
To that end, the Senate has inserted language adding consideration of the young woman?s health.
But critics still remain skeptical the bill will meet constitutional requirements.
Those opposed to notification were very disappointed about the vote?s outcome.
Senate President Tom Eaton, in particular, is a popular target for blame.
Jennifer Frizell with Planned Parenthood says a vote from him against the bil would have split the senate 12-12, effectively killing the measure.
1:41 and while I recognize that he has had a practice throughout this session to only use his vote to break a tie, he also has selectively used the vote to make a tie?it?s regrettable to us, and to supporters in the Keene community to consider these issues important enough to merit using that vote.
The bill now heads back to the House where that body can accept the Senate version, ask for a conference committee, or kill it.
In March the House passed the parental notification bill by just six votes.
For NHPR News, I?m DG.
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