Sacramento, CA (LifeNews.com) -- A leading pro-life Catholic group says it plans to conduct an extensive statewide campaign in California on behalf of Proposition 73, the measure that would allow parents to know when their minor daughters are considering an abortion. California voters will head to the polls in November to vote on the initiative.

Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, says his group will actively support the measure saying it's important for the lives of young girls as well as family relations.

"Priests for Life is announcing today that it will assist the residents of California to understand and vote for Proposition 73, the Parental Notification Act," Pavone announced. "We will communicate with Churches, send our speakers into the state to rally voters, and communicate with the media."

"Our extensive experience with those who have had abortions shows that when someone has an abortion, it affects the whole family," Pavone explained. "The Parental Notification Act will protect parents' right to know not only what will happen to their daughter, but what will happen to them."

An August poll conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California finds 44 percent of state residents backing Proposition 73 and 48 percent opposing it -- which is just outside the two percent margin of error. Some 8 percent were not sure how they would vote.

That differs from a June Field Poll which found some 48 percent of California voters back the proposal while 42 percent oppose it.

Pro-life groups say the wording of the polling question in the PPIC is biased. It says abortions are "prohibited" until the notification requirement has been completed and the question claims the measure would cost the state "several million dollars annually."

Related web sites:
Tell a Parent - http://www.ParentsRight2Know.org
Priests for Life - http://www.priestsforlife.org