Oregon Democrat leaders are rushing through a radical pro-abortion bill this spring that would allow girls as young as 10 to abort their unborn babies – or coerced by an abuser – without their parents’ knowledge or consent.
The shock was audible when an attorney for the Oregon Legislature confirmed “a minor of any age” could have an abortion without her parents’ knowledge during legislative committee meeting, according to a video shared by Oregon House Republicans.
When asked if state House Bill 2002 would allow a 10-year-old to “make that decision on their own,” the attorney confirmed that it would.
Her response immediately drew shock and confusion among lawmakers. Responding, the attorney confirmed again that “a minor of any age can make reproductive health care decisions and that includes undergoing an abortion” under the bill.
Currently, Oregon law requires parental consent for elective abortions performed on children under age 15. But the bill, which passed the Joint Committee on Ways and Means on Thursday, would get rid of all age limits.
Lois Anderson, the executive director of Oregon Right to Life, said the extreme pro-abortion bill imposes a legal requirement on abortion providers to withhold information from parents unless the child submits an explicit, written request to notify them.
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“House Bill 2002 is extremely dangerous and a disservice to children who are ill-informed of abortion procedures and their side effects,” Anderson said. “Parents are a child’s first advocate and with House Bill 2002 in place, vulnerable children are abandoned, having to make life altering decisions without support.”
Republican lawmakers voted against the bill Thursday and condemned Democrats’ actions afterward, according to Fox News.
“Despite uncertain facts and unanswered questions, Oregon Democrats passed the most extreme abortion and gender-altering legislation in our nation’s history,” said state Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp and House Republican Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson in a joint statement.
Knopp and Breese-Iverson said Democrats rushed the bill forward after less than an hour of debate without listening to public input or answering Republicans’ questions.
“During the committee meeting, Democrat committee leadership audibly gasped when Legislative Counsel confirmed that 10-year-olds would be able to get abortions without parental knowledge under the legislation they were ‘intimately involved with crafting,’” they continued.
Yet, Democrat leaders had the audacity to claim “Republicans ‘should have known this was coming’ and prepared accordingly,’” Knopp and Breese-Iverson said. “We did know, we did prepare, we did come equipped with thorough questions. They simply could not answer them and would not give us more time.”
The state Republican leaders promised to continue fighting for children’s safety and parents’ rights as the bill advances.
In response, a state Senate Democratic Caucus spokesperson told Fox News that the bill “protects Oregonians’ basic rights and freedoms, specifically the right to make decisions about their own bodies.”
Anderson said Oregon Right to Life opposes the bill for additional reasons as well.
According to the pro-life organization, House Bill 2002 also eliminates the crime of “concealing the birth of an infant,” effectively shielding abortion providers who end the life of an infant born alive after an attempted abortion.
“House Bill 2002 decriminalizes concealing the birth of an infant, including, but not limited to, babies who survive an attempted abortion,” Anderson said. “Babies who survive failed abortions deserve protection.”
Oregon has very few restrictions on abortion, and its governor has been working with leaders in Washington and California to expand elective abortions even more, including by devoting millions of taxpayer dollars to destroying unborn babies’ lives. Last year, the state legislature approved $15 million to pay for women in and out of state to travel for abortions and to increase the number of abortion facilities in the state.
ACTION ALERT: To oppose this radical legislation, Contact Oregon state lawmakers.
