Alaska Planned Parenthood Will Abuse New Abortion-Parental Notification Law
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 26, 2010
Juneau, AK (LifeNews.com) — Just days after Alaska voters approved a new law allowing parents to be notified when their teenage daughter is considering an abortion, the Planned Parenthood abortion business is preparing to push teens into using provisions, meant for abused kids, to keep all parents in the dark.
Like other parental involvement laws on abortion around the nation, the new Alaska law contains a Supreme Court-required provision for teens who may be abused at home.
The provision allows a judge to approve an abortion without parental knowledge in such cases or allows teens to submit a notarized statement affirming abuse at home.
Now, in the name of "pregnancy support" Alaska Planned Parenthood has created a new web site, teenpregnancysupport.com to push teens into having abortions without informing their parents.
"Right now, if you’re a teen in Alaska, you have the right to confidential services including … abortion services," the web site says. "You don’t need permission from your parents or guardians. It’s your right to get these health services confidentially – the health center or doctor cannot tell anyone why you were there unless you say it’s ok."
‘But as soon as late November, if you are 17 or under and want an abortion, you will have to either wait 48 hours while your parents are notified before having the abortion or go to court and get permission for the abortion from a judge," it continues.
"Planned Parenthood will be working with the court system, health providers and counselors to develop legal ways to assist pregnant teens who cannot talk to their parents," the web site continues.
In other states, Planned Parenthood has abused the parental involvement laws by connecting teens who come to its abortion centers with attorneys — even in non-abuse situations — in order to get a bypass.
Rates in states like Texas and Michigan show Planned Parenthood engages in judge shopping to find pro-abortion judges who are sympathetic to approving secret teen abortions without parental input.
Chris Charbonneau, chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest confirmed to the Anchorage Daily News that that would be the case in Alaska as well.
"Charbonneau said Planned Parenthood intends to work with the courts, counselors and health providers to make sure teens can still get abortions in Alaska without delay," the newspaper indicated.
Jim Minnery, president of the Alaska Family Council and part of the group pushing for the new law said the organization would be monitoring Planned Parenthood. That could involve coming back to the legislature to fine tune the law to prevent abuse of the judicial bypass provisions.
Unless courts block the new law, it is slated to take effect 90 days after Tuesday’s election is certified — putting the law on the books by the end of the year.
With 84 percent of the vote counted, 70,503 Alaskans voted for the measure while 56,354 voted against it. That had parental notification winning on a 55.5 to 44.4 percent margin.
Alaskans for Parental Rights spearheaded the effort while the ACLU joined Planned Parenthood in opposing it.
"I think that Alaskan parents are concerned. They want to be there for their girls and they want to be there even when the going gets tough," said Bernadette Wilson, campaign manager for Alaskans for Parental Rights, according to the Anchorage newspaper. "And I think we sent the message loud and clear that we want to care for these girls, even those girls who come from unhealthy home environments."
Alaska becomes the 37th state to require parental involvement before a minor can have an abortion.
Currently, abortions may be performed in Alaska on minors without notifying their parents. Parental rights advocates say this leads to young girls being pressured or coerced to have abortions by those who may not have a minor girl or her unborn child’s best interest in mind.
Related web sites:
Alaskans for Parental Rights – https://www.alaskansforparentalrights.org
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