Maine Lawmaker Introduces Stricter Parental Consent Bill
The new bill, introduced by state Sen. Paul Davis (R-Sangerville), would repeal the state's existing parental consent law and replace it with stricter regulations.
A Maine lawmaker has introduced a bill that would make getting an abortion more difficult for minors in the state.
LD 83, dubbed “An Act to Strengthen the Consent Laws for Abortions Performed on Minors and Incapacitated Persons,” would create stricter parental consent rules for young people trying to obtain an abortion.
Maine has had a parental consent law on the books since 1989; before performing an abortion on a minor, physicians are required to get the written consent of a parent, guardian, or adult family member, as well as the written consent of the minor herself, after giving her state-mandated counseling.
The new bill, introduced by state Sen. Paul Davis (R-Sangerville), would repeal the current law and replace it with stricter regulations. It would require that the parent or legal guardian prove their relationship to the minor by providing the physician with a government-issued ID and a written document that establishes their relationship. The physician is then required to keep a copy of this proof of ID for up to seven years after the abortion is performed.
The bill includes an exception for minors who are victims of abuse by their parents; in those cases, the minor would have to obtain the written consent and proof of ID from a sibling who is at least 21 years old, or from a stepparent or grandparent.
Minors seeking an abortion in Maine would also be required to initial each page of a form that would include a “detailed description of the surgical or medical procedures that are planned” and a “detailed list of risks and hazards related to those procedures.”
The bill’s language is almost identical to that of another consent bill, LD 1339, introduced in the state in April 2013. That bill failed to pass the legislature.
Maine has several other anti-choice laws on the books, including legislation restricting public funding for abortion, prohibiting certain health-care providers from performing abortions, and allowing certain physicians to refuse to provide people with reproductive health services, information, and referrals.