 By Ronna Bolante
Advertiser Capitol Bureau
A bill that would require physicians to notify parents 96 hours before performing abortions on girls under 18 already has gotten farther than many thought it would.
Following testimony yesterday in which opponents said the measure would endanger young women’s health and supporters argued that it would help parents help their daughters, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the bill. It now goes before the full Senate.
Minors are now able to obtain abortions without informing their parents.
A number of organizations said the bill actually could create more medical risks for young women.
"Parent consent and notice laws endanger young women’s health by forcing some to turn to illegal or self-induced abortion, to delay the procedure or to bear a child against their will," said Allicyn Hikida Tasaka, executive director of the Hawai‘i State Commission on the Status of Women. "Parental notification laws revictimize and traumatize young women."
The bill contains a provision allowing minors from abusive homes to seek a judicial bypass that would waive the requirement for parental notification.
But supporters of the bill say parents should be informed to help their daughters cope with the physical and psychological effects of abortion.
"Government has no business affirmatively coming between girls and their parents," said Kelly Rosati, executive director of Hawai‘i Family Forum. "Laws allowing abortion without parental notification do just that."
Barry Raff, executive director of Family Planning Centers of Hawai‘i, said the bill will not encourage family communication as it is intended to. Instead, it places more restrictions on women’s reproductive rights, he said.
"Teens from completely dysfunctional homes and those from healthy families have the same problem raising the issue of sex or birth control with their parents," Raff said. "The law will not create better families."
Senate Judiciary Committee Vice Chairman David Matsuura said he believes Hawai‘i already has a law that requires physicians to get parental consent before performing abortions. That law allows clinics and hospitals to provide family planning and other services to minors, but Matsuura said it specifically excludes abortions.
"Our question to them is ‘By what authority are we allowing this to happen?’" said Matsuura, D-2nd (S. Hilo, Puna). "I have a feeling this is going to the courts."
Matsuura said some state hospitals now perform abortions on minors without informing parents. If the law is interpreted to mean minors must obtain parental consent before getting an abortion, the state could be sued by any of those patients, he said.
Typically, bills seen as restricting a woman’s right to an abortion have languished at the Legislature.
Early in the session, Senate Judiciary Chairman Brian Kanno said he couldn’t say whether his committee would approve the bill or even hold public hearings on it.
Voting in favor of Senate Bill 809 were Kanno, D-20th (‘Ewa Beach, Makakilo, Kapolei); Matsuura; Jonathan Chun, D-7th (S. Kaua‘i, Ni‘ihau); Russell Kokubun, D-3rd (Ka‘u, Kona); Sam Slom, R-8th (Wai‘alae Iki, Hawai‘i Kai); Carol Fukunaga, D-12th (Makiki, Ala Moana, Tantalus); Les Ihara, D-10th (Waikiki, Kaimuki); and Bob Nakata, D-23rd (Kane‘ohe, Kahuku). Sen. Colleen Hanabusa, D-21st (Barbers Point, Makaha), was absent.
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