Dem Abortion Bill Would Nullify Parental Consent Laws In Every State

Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal introduced a sweeping abortion bill cosponsored by 47 Senate Democrats that would nullify parental consent laws nationwide.

The Women’s Health Protection Act would make elective abortion a right in the first six months of pregnancy and would force states to allow abortions in the last trimester, after the point at which a child can survive outside the womb, in cases where a healthcare worker finds pregnancy could harm a mother’s mental or physical health. The legislation would also automatically strike down all state laws restricting abortions in the first six months of pregnancy and does not include exceptions for parental notification or consent laws, which require parents to be notified of or grant permission for their underage child to have an abortion.

Underage patients need a parent’s consent to get an abortion in 21 states, while ten states require one or more parents to be notified of their child’s abortion and six states require both, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski cited the bill’s broad language and failure to allow parental consent laws as part of their reason for refusing to vote for it in a joint February 28 press release.

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“The WHPA’s overly broad language far exceeds Roe by striking down state laws such as those that require certain materials to be given to the patient, prohibit sex-based abortions, or require parental or guardian notification for minors seeking an abortion,” the press release said.

“Pro-abortion bill in Senate goes beyond ‘Roe’ and would allow minors to get abortions without parental consent, provide tax dollars for abortions, force religious hospitals to perform abortions, and ensure unborn human beings could be killed until moment of birth (and beyond),” Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton said on Twitter.