Missouri Bill Regarding Two-Parent Written Notification Requirement (HB 774)

This law was last updated on Feb 5, 2015

State

Missouri

Number

HB 774

Status

Failed to Pass

Proposed

Feb 2, 2015

Topics

Parental Involvement

Full Bill Text

house.mo.gov

HB 774 would amend the laws regarding parental notification requirements for an abortion for a minor (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 188.028).

The bill would prohibit a physician from performing or inducing an abortion upon a minor without first obtaining the notarized written consent of both the minor and one of her parents or her legal guardian and would require the consenting parent to notify any other custodial parent.

The bill defines “custodial parent” to mean a parent in a family in which the parents have not separated or divorced or any parent of a minor who has been awarded joint custody. Notice would not be required to a parent convicted of certain crimes and offenses as outlined in the law. Notice also would not be required to a parent whose whereabouts are unknown, who is a fugitive from justice, who is habitually in an intoxicated or drugged condition, or who has been declared mentally incompetent.

The bill would permit a minor to petition a court for a waiver of the consent requirement pursuant to the procedure outlined in the law.

According to Planned Parenthood Advocates of Missouri, writing about HB 99, a virtually identical bill:

HB 99 requires the two-parent notice prior to the performance of an abortion in addition to the existing requirement that a female under the age of 18 to obtain written informed consent of one parent or guardian prior to an abortion. Parents rightfully want to be involved in their teenagers’ lives, and the good news is that most teens do go to their parents when faced with an unintended pregnancy. But in the real world, no law can mandate family communication. Adding administrative obstacles that are nearly insurmountable to the teen can force them to take matters into their own hands.

STATUS

Identical to HB 814.

Similar to HB 99, except HB 774 does not include the provision regarding the rights of crisis pregnancy centers to engage in religious practices and speech without interference from the government.