State Laws: Parental Notification Requirements

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In the States

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State Laws: Parental Notification Requirements

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Last Updated 12/5/02

Parental Consent and Notification for Abortion

Parental involvement laws, which require young women to obtain the consent of or notify one or both parents in order to obtain an abortion, force young women who are unable to comply with these requirements to delay obtaining appropriate medical care. Resulting delays can be much longer if young women seek to receive court approval for an abortion or travel out of state for an abortion, rather than meet parental involvement requirements. The chart below indicates for each state whether or not a parental involvement law is in effect. The chart below indicates for each state whether or not a parental involvement law is in effect.

Alabama	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Alaska	Parental consent law enjoined or not enforced; constitutionality of statute currently being challenged.
Arizona	Parental consent law enjoined or not enforced; constitutionality of statute currently being challenged.
Arkansas	Yes. Notice to two parents required. Physician can waive if child abuse verified. Judicial bypass option available.
California	Parental consent law enjoined or not enforced.
Colorado	Parental notification law enjoined or not enforced.
Connecticut
Delaware	Yes. Notice to one parent or grandparent or licensed health care professional required. Judicial bypass option available.
>Florida	Parental notification law enjoined or not enforced; constitutionality of statute currently being challenged.
Georgia	Yes. Notice to one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Hawaii
Idaho	Parental consent law enjoined or not enforced; constitutionality of statute currently being challenged.
Illinois	Parental notification law enjoined or not enforced.
Indiana	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Iowa	Yes. Notice to one parent, or to grandparent if reason given to physician, required. Judicial bypass option available.
Kansas	Yes. Notice to one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Kentucky	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Louisiana	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Maine	Yes. Consent of one parent, or health care provider, or adult family member, required - unless minor receives specified counseling. Judicial bypass option available.
Maryland	Yes. Notice to one parent required unless physician determines either: that notice may lead to physical or mental abuse, that the minor is mature and capable of giving informed consent, or that notice would not be in the minor's best interest.
Massachusetts	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Michigan	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Minnesota	Yes. Notice to two parents required. Judicial bypass option available.
Mississippi	Yes. Consent of two parents required. Judicial bypass option available.
Missouri	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Montana	Parental notification law enjoined or not enforced.
Nebraska	Yes. Notice to one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Nevada	Parental notification law enjoined or not enforced.
New Hampshire
New Jersey	Parental notification law enjoined or not enforced.
New Mexico	Parental consent law enjoined or not enforced.
New York
North Carolina	Yes. Consent of one parent, or a grandparent with whom the minor has lived for 6 months, required. Judicial bypass option available.
North Dakota	Yes. Consent of two parents required. Judicial bypass option available.
Ohio	Yes. Notice to one parent, or an adult sibling, stepparent or grandparent if minor files affidavit with juvenile court testifying to abuse, required. Judicial bypass option available.
Oklahoma	Parental consent law enjoined or not enforced; constitutionality of statute currently being challenged.
Oregon
Pennsylvania	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Rhode Island	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
South Carolina	Yes. Consent of one parent or grandparent required. Judicial bypass option available.
South Dakota	Yes. Notice to one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Tennessee	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Texas	Yes. Notice to one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Utah	Yes. If possible, notice to two parents is required. No judicial bypass option available.
Vermont
Virginia	Yes. Notice to one parent, or to physician who believes minor is abused, required. Judicial bypass option available.
Washington
West Virginia	Yes. Notice to one parent or physician required. Judicial bypass option available.
Wisconsin	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Adult family member or psychologist/psychiatrist can waive if threat of suicide. Judicial bypass option available.
Wyoming	Yes. Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.