Monday, October 16, 2006

California - Proposition 85

PROPOSITION 85
WAITING PERIOD AND PARENTAL NOTIFICATION BEFORE TERMINATION OF MINOR’S PREGNANCY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
    • Amends California Constitution to prohibit abortion for unemancipated minor until 48 hours after physician notifies minor’s parent or legal guardian, except in medical emergency or with parental waiver.
    • Permits minor to obtain court order waiving notice based on clear and convincing evidence of minor’s maturity or best interests.
    • Mandates various reporting requirements, including reports from physicians regarding abortions performed on minors.
    • Authorizes monetary damages against physicians for violation.
    • Requires minor’s consent to abortion, with certain exceptions.
    • Permits judicial relief if minor’s consent coerced.

    Summary of Legislative Analyst’s Estimate of Net State and Local Government Fiscal Impact:

    • Potential unknown net state costs of several million dollars annually for health and social services programs, court administration, and state health agency administration combined.
    The Pro’s on this one include a Catholic newspaper publisher James E. Holman (Los Angeles Mission (1994), San Francisco Faith, and La Cruz de California (1997), Catholic Conferences of Bishops, the California Pro-life Council, and the governor (see he really is a Republican) and out-of-towner Tom Monaghan, owner of Domino’s pizza (whom I’ve written about before).

    The Con’s are Planned Parenthood, ACLU, League of Women Voters, And Colleges of Gynecologists and Obstetricians.

    The initiative is funded by the same guy who wants to build Catholic town, and is likely funded by money funneled in from the Catholic Church. I am cautious to say that this is an initiative being pushed by the Catholic Church (see church/state separation) when it’s backed and funded by a bunch of church guys. The line from the La Times by the proponents that says: “Without secret access to abortion, teenagers would avoid behavior that could lead to pregnancy. With parental notification, teen pregnancies and abortions would decrease”. My thought is that it would just lead to more abandoned babies or more babies born to teens in dictatorial households. Maybe we should inject some criminal charges to parents who allow their minors to become pregnant.

    If a teen becomes pregnant with no means to take care of the child, then I would hope they would make the right decision for them, whether it means an abortion or not. Putting the decision in the hands of the parents alone is really too little control to late. Where was the parent in the first place? Maybe the Catholic publication and Catholic bishops who support this can answer this one.

    My Vote is NO on proposition 85.

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