Indiana Senate Bill tells parents of girls seeking an abortion

If Senate Bill 404 becomes law, Indiana would be the first state to require parental notification when unemancipated minors pursue the “judicial bypass” procedure for an abortion.

“The purpose is to strengthen parental rights,” said Corinne Purvis, attorney for Indiana Right to Life. “Parents have a constitutional right to determine the upbringing of their children.”

The three-hour hearing on the bill included emotional testimony from parents on both sides of the issue. They included a father who helped his son and his son’s girlfriend navigate an unwanted pregnancy; a man whose teen daughter got pregnant but ultimately decided to have the child; and a mother and father whose daughter died during an illegal abortion because she didn’t want to tell her parents about her pregnancy.

Indiana law currently requires those younger than 18 to get permission from at least one parent before an abortion. But if they can’t or don’t want to, they can seek a waiver of that requirement from a judge, who considers whether the girl is mature enough to make the decision. In those cases, parents are not currently notified.