Six Senate Republicans on Monday introduced legislation that would hit doctors with heavy fines and imprisonment if they fail to inform parents when their minor daughters seek an abortion.
The bill's sponsor, Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), said that state laws requiring parental notification have helped to reduce teen abortion rates, but that these laws can be dodged when abortions are sought across state lines. He said a federal law covering all states would solve this problem, and that the proposal is widely supported across the country.
"Polls show nearly 80 percent of Americans agree parents should have the legal right to stop an abortion from being performed on their minor daughter," he said.
Under the bill, parents would have to be notified by certified mail that their minor daughter is seeking an abortion, and doctors would have to wait four days before performing the procedure. Anyone violating this requirement could face a fine of up to $1 million and a prison term of up to 10 years.
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The Hill, found via Washington Independent "
Proposed federal abortion bill would extend waiting time".
Of course, those narrow-minded Republicans have no problem if the teenage girl wanting an abortion gets further abused or even killed by her angry, shocked parents. That's "pro-life" right there, I see. And the misogynistic component of all this: no provisions also notifying the parents of the girl's male sexual partner...and I thought conservatives stood for personal responsibility.
Would parental notifications for abortion really discourage pregnant teens from getting abortions?