Alaska Gov. Palin Voices Support For State Parental Consent Bill

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) on Thursday voiced support for legislation (H.B. 35, S.B. 6) that would require parental consent for a minor to receive an abortion in the state, the AP/Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports. The House and Senate bills were introduced in their respective chambers at the beginning of the session. The House version, sponsored by Rep. John Coghill (R), would revise the 1997 Parental Consent Act, which the Alaska Supreme Court overturned in a 3-2 vote in 2007. The court said the parental consent requirement was unconstitutional because it infringed on pregnant teenagers' right to reproductive freedom. According to the AP/Daily News-Miner, the court is "more conservative now with a Palin-appointee replacing a justice who cast a vote to overturn" the act.

Although Palin "voiced strong antiabortion views" as Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) running mate in the 2008 presidential election, she "has not pushed that agenda in the Legislature until now," the AP/Daily News-Miner reports. Palin said she did not propose her own bill this year because she did not want to create competing legislation (Sutton, AP/Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 2/27). According to the Anchorage Daily News, the bill might have "trouble in the state Senate," after Senate President Gary Stevens (R) said months ago that "far left and far right issues" would not be on the table in the Senate. Sen. Hollis French (D), who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that he has not yet analyzed the bill but would give it a hearing (Demer, Anchorage Daily News, 2/27). The AP/Daily News-Miner reports that an identical bill passed the House in 2008 but ultimately failed because it did not have a Senate hearing. Sen. Charlie Huggins (R), a supporter of the bill, said a citizen's initiative would be filed if the bill failed to pass this year (AP/Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 2/27).

Palin said, "Wherever you fall on the abortion issue, right or left, this legislation is about family, and it's about parents' rights and protecting our children." She added that legislators "on both sides of the aisle" support the bill (Anchorage Daily News, 2/27). Palin also said the "most important thing is the right of Alaska children to receive support and the ability for them to receive the support and input of their parents as they face a life-changing decision."

Clover Simon, executive director of Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, said the bill violates the constitutional rights of pregnant teens. She said that although the group wants parents to be included in decisions regarding abortion, it does not "believe you can mandate parental communication with their teens." She added parental involvement "has to be something that starts long before the unintended pregnancy." PPGN also said it is concerned with a section of the bill that would allow teens to bypass parental consent by petitioning a court. Smith said the requirements are difficult for teens who might be in abusive situations at home (AP/Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 2/27).


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