Parental Notification and Intervention Act of 2017 (H.R. 2956)

H.R. 2956 would prohibit abortions on minors in all 50 states unless written parental notification has been provided and a 96-hour waiting period has passed since the initial notification.

Specifically, the bill would prohibit any person or organization in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or who solicits or accepts Federal funds to perform any abortion on an unemancipated minor under the age of 18, to permit the facilities of the person or organization to be used to perform any abortion on such a minor, or to assist in the performance of any abortion on such a minor if the person or organization has failed to comply with all of the following requirements:

• the provision of written notification to the parents (unless a state court has waived the requirement);
• compliance with a 96-hour waiting period after notice has been received by the parents;
• compliance with any injunction granted related to parental intervention.

Whoever violates this provision would be fined up to $100,000 and/or imprisoned for up to a year.

This provision would not apply in the case of a medical emergency which:

• would result in the death of the minor;
• parental notification is not possible as a result of the emergency; and
• certifications of compliance have been entered into the medical record of the minor, along with the physicians determinations.

Parental Notification Requirements

The bill would require the parental notification to be delivered in-person or via certified mail.

Parental Intervention

The bill would allow any parent required to be notified regarding an abortion of an unemancipated minor to bring an action in the Federal district court where the parent resides or where the unemancipated minor is located to enjoin the performance of the abortion.

A temporary injunction may be issued to stop the abortion. The court may issue relief permanently enjoining the abortion unless the court determines that granting such relief would be unlawful.

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Related Legislation

Identical to H.R. 1695 (2015) and H.R. 3601 (2013), both of which failed to pass.

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People