Planned Parenthood of Indiana and
Kentucky (PPINK), along with the ACLU, filed a lawsuit last week over a law
that would take effect in July which requires abortion providers to obtain
written consent from a legal guardian before an un-emancipated minor can get an
abortion.
PPINK claims that part of the new law preventing
someone from assisting a minor to obtain an abortion without parental consent
will prevent their organization “from advising its minor patients and persons
seeking abortion services that they can travel to other states to obtain their
abortions. The compelled silence
demanded by the Act violates the First Amendment.” PPINK also considers the parental consent requirement
to have a “chilling effect on teenagers already dealing with a difficult
situation,” according to Betty Cockrum, President and CEO of PPINK. “We encourage teenagers to have open and
honest conversations with their family members, but unfortunately not every
teenager is in an environment where that is safe,” she added. “Patients should know all options regarding
their pregnancies. It is blatantly unconstitutional
and is entirely without compassion for vulnerable Hoosiers.”
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb said
before signing the legislation in April that he sees it “as a parental rights
issue and responsibility and common sense.”
The new law does give a minor who
objects to obtaining parental consent the ability to petition a juvenile court
to waive parental consent and notification if the court finds that to be in the
minor’s best interests.
PPINK argued in their lawsuit that minors
will be deterred from this because the court will inform the parents of the
proceedings if their petition is denied.
Currently 37-states have parental
consent or notification laws for minors obtaining abortions.
Hats off to the Indiana legislators
and governor; shame on PPINK and the ACLU; and may God’s guidance be sought by
these parents of minor girls bearing life … and their grandchildren.
Rev.
Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain
(Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor,
Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
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