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Florida laws that will require abortion providers to notify a minor's parents before performing an abortion on her and institute stricter regulations at clinics that perform second-trimester abortions go into effect on Friday, the... AP/Tallahassee Democrat reports (Royse, AP/Tallahassee Democrat, 7/1). The parental notification law (SB 1908), which Gov. Jeb Bush (R) signed in May, requires doctors to notify in person or by phone the parents or legal guardians of minors seeking abortion at least 48 hours in advance of performing the procedure or 72 hours in advance by certified mail if the parents or guardians cannot be reached otherwise (Greene, St. Petersburg Times, 7/1). However, the law will not require parental notification if the minor in question is married or already has children or if an immediate abortion is necessary to prevent injury to or death of the minor. Under the law, minors could bypass notification if a judge determines that they are mature enough to make the decision on their own, that they are victims of abuse or that notifying a parent is not in the girl's best interest (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 5/27). According to rules released by the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday, a minor may ask for a waiver anonymously in any circuit court in her home district. The rules were a compromise between abortion-rights supporters, who wanted girls to be able to petition for a waiver from any court in the state, and abortion-rights opponents, who wanted girls to be able to seek a waiver only from judges in their hometown, the Miami Herald reports (Caputo, Miami Herald, 7/1). The Center for Reproductive Rights and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America last week filed a federal lawsuit to block the law on behalf of four women's health centers and two physicians, saying the law could put girls' lives at risk by delaying emergency treatment (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 6/27). However, the law is able to go into effect because there have been no rulings in the case yet (AP/Tallahassee Democrat, 7/1).
Clinic Regulation Law
The Women's Health and Safety Act (HB 1041) also goes into effect on Friday, the Herald reports (Miami Herald, 7/1). The law, which Bush also signed in May, increases regulation of state clinics that perform second-trimester abortions. The act requires such clinics to abide by certain rules about employee training and equipment sterilization and have certain types of facilities and equipment. The act also requires abortion clinics' medical directors to have privileges at a nearby hospital. The state Agency for Health Care Administration must write the specific rules for the clinics (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 6/2). However, because the agency has not yet done so, the bill's "practical effect won't be felt until later," according to the AP/Democrat (AP/Tallahassee Democrat, 7/1).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
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