Bi-partisan MOMS fight for parental rights in MN Abortion Law
In Minnesota, attorney Teresa Collett is representing a bipartisan group: Mothers Offering Maternal Support (MOMS). These MOMS are currently appealing a ruling from a County Judge who struck down common-sense protections for women and teen girls. The growing contingent of MOMS includes daughters of both the original DFL and GOP sponsors of the 1990 MN parental notification bill. The group is challenging the court ruling that would deny parental notification when minors are desiring to obtain an abortion. True North Legal is assisting in bringing attention to the case.
Parental Notification Abortion Laws Protect Young Women From Exploitation
Young girls, often well under 18 years old, are not equipped to undergo the physical, emotional, and psychological burden of abortion. What parent would want their daughter to go through the trauma of teen pregnancy alone? These Minnesota MOMS have the right to comfort and support their teenage daughters during a crisis.
Minors without parental oversight may end up aborting a pregnancy without full knowledge of the trauma and risks of the procedure. They could also be left without help for future medical follow-up. Furthermore, parental notification protects young women from emotional and sexual abuse. Many young women are forced into unwanted sexual situations by older boyfriends or nefarious sexual predators. Parents have a right to know if their underage daughter is being exploited in an abusive sexual relationship and taken to an abortion clinic. Young girls will continue to be at risk in Minnesota if these common-sense parental notification laws are not put back into effect.
Parental involvement laws have a proven track record of reducing the demand for minors seeking abortions. A 1996 study showed that parental involvement laws reduced the minor abortion rate by 13 to 25 percent, while a 2008 study showed parental consent laws reduced the minor abortion rate by 18.7 percent. Parental involvement saves lives and highlights the fact that when parents are involved to love and support teen moms there is hope and opportunity for young women to choose motherhood if they so desire. Young women deserve to have the support system of their families during the extremely difficult challenges of teen pregnancy.
Parental Notification Law is Constitutional
In 1990, the MN parental notification for abortion law was ruled constitutional by the Supreme Court. In fact, on 11 occasions the U.S. Supreme Court has reviewed parental consent or notification laws, upholding these laws as constitutional even under the restrictive regime of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey.
Circumventing these cases, Minnesota abortion activists sued in state court, under the theory that the state constitution protects abortion and invalidates Minnesota abortion laws. After the trial court blocked most of the abortion laws, including the parental notification provisions, the attorney general of Minnesota, Keith Ellison, abandoned the case, refusing to appeal it to the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Despite the fact the law is a commonsense measure to ensure a minor gives her informed consent and receives parental support, the attorney general skirted his duty to uphold the law and bent the knee to the radical abortion wing of his party. Americans United for Life affirms MOMS for appealing this egregious ruling that nullified parental rights in Minnesota. If you would like more information on MOMS or if you’re in Minnesota and would like to join their group, you can reach out to: [email protected]
