- On March 4, the Center for Reproductive Rights will present arguments before the Florida Supreme Court on why Florida's law requiring physicians to notify a parent or legal guardian of a young woman prior to an abortion procedure violates the Florida Constitution. In 1989, the Florida Supreme Court struck down a similar law that required written parental consent, finding it violated the right to privacy.
"The majority of young women choose to involve their parents in decisions about pregnancy. But government mandated communication will actually harm those young women who fear physical or emotional abuse by a parent," said Bebe Anderson, a staff attorney with the Center for Reproductive Rights who represents the plaintiffs.
In February 2001, the First District Court of Appeal found the state law requiring parental notification valid under the Florida Constitution, ignoring strong evidence presented at the trial court level attesting to the harmful impact the law would have on minors. Judge Terry P. Lewis ruled that the law was unconstitutional in May 2000, finding that it did not serve a compelling state interest and that it violated the explicit privacy clause in Florida’s constitution, which allows young women the same right to privacy as adult women. The parental notice law has been blocked since July 1999 when it was due to take effect.
Amicus briefs were filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by the American Civil Liberties Union, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, Society for Adolescent Medicine, and the Women's Law Project.
The argument is expected to be broadcast live on the internet by WFSU-TV at http://wfsu.org/gavel2gavel.
Plaintiffs in North Florida Women’s Health & Counseling Services, Inc., et al. v. State of Florida, et al. (Case No: SC01-843) include 9 abortion providers and clinics, as well as women’s rights groups from across Florida. They are represented by Bebe Anderson and Jody Ratner of the Center for Reproductive Rights, Richard E. Johnson of Tallahassee, and Dara Klassel of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
