Parental Consent and Notification for Abortion
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12.02.09 - Parental involvement laws, which require young women to obtain the consent of or notify one or both parents in order to obtain an abortion, force young women who are unable to comply with these requirements to delay obtaining appropriate medical care. Resulting delays can be much longer if young women seek to receive court approval for an abortion or travel out of state for an abortion, rather than meet parental involvement requirements.
The chart below indicates for each state whether or not a parental involvement law is in effect. These laws apply to young women under the age of 18, unless otherwise indicated. States in gray have not enacted a parental involvement law.
Last Updated November 15, 2005
Alabama
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Alaska
Parental consent law enjoined or not enforced; Constitutionality of statute currently being challenged.
Arizona
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Arkansas
Consent of of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
California
Parental
consent law enjoined or not enforced.
Colorado
Notice to one parent required. Notice can be to a grandparent or adult aunt or uncle if minor lives with that relative and not with a parent. Judicial bypass option available.
Connecticut
Delaware
Notice to one parent or grandparent or licensed health care professional
required. Judicial bypass option available. Applies to minors under 16.
Florida
Notice to one parent required. Judicial bypass option available. Constitutionality of statute currently being challenged.
Georgia
Notice to one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Hawaii
Idaho
Parental consent law enjoined or not enforced.
Illinois
Parental
notification law enjoined or not enforced.
Indiana
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Iowa
Notice to one parent, or to grandparent if reason given to physician, required.
Judicial bypass option available.
Kansas
Notice to one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Kentucky
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Louisiana
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Maine
Consent of one parent or adult family member
required, unless minor receives specified counseling. Judicial bypass option
available.
Maryland
Notice to one parent required unless physician determines either: that notice
may lead to physical or emotional abuse, that the minor is mature and capable
of giving informed consent, or that notice would not be in the minor's best
interest.
Massachusetts
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Michigan
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Minnesota
Notice to two parents required. Judicial bypass option available.
Mississippi
Consent of two parents required. Judicial bypass option available.
Missouri
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Montana
Parental
notification law enjoined or not enforced.
Nebraska
Notice to one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Nevada
Parental
notification law enjoined or not enforced.
New
Hampshire
Parental notification law enjoined or not enforced. Constitutionality of statute currently being challenged.
New
Jersey
Parental
notification law enjoined or not enforced.
New
Mexico
Parental
consent law enjoined or not enforced.
New
York
North
Carolina
Consent of one parent, or a grandparent with whom the minor has lived for
6 months, required. Judicial bypass option available.
North
Dakota
Consent of two parents required. Judicial bypass option available.
Ohio
Consent of one parent required. Judicial
bypass option available.
Oklahoma
Notice to one parent required. Judicial bypass option available. Constitutionality of statute currently being challenged.
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Rhode
Island
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
South
Carolina
Consent of one parent or grandparent required. Judicial bypass option available.Applies to minors under 17.
South
Dakota
Notice to one parent required. Judicial bypass option available. Applies to minors under 17.
Tennessee
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Texas
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
Utah
If possible, notice to two parents is required. No judicial bypass option available.
Vermont
Virginia
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
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Washington
West
Virginia
Notice to one parent required unless physician determines that the minor is mature enough to make the decision independently or that notification would not be in the minor's best interest. Judicial bypass option available.
Wisconsin
Consent of one parent or adult family member required. Judicial bypass option available.
Wyoming
Consent of one parent required. Judicial bypass option available.
