Planned Parenthood claims that last year between 6 & 7% of the abortions it provided in the Anchorage area were for girls under 18. They clearly have serious financial interest in this matter and therefore have filed suit to ensure the sustainability of their business. Based on their numbers, they would lose revenue from approximately 30 abortions a year, and the abortion industry in Alaska would lose revenue from at least 125 abortion deaths.
As usual, LifeNews.com is on top of this situation and reports:
As it has in other lawsuits against notification laws, which have been upheld as constitutional by the Supreme Court and in other states, Planned Parenthood claims the law violates the privacy of the girls — but it says nothing of the parents who would be kept in the daughter about their teen girls and who would have to pay for medical expenses related to potential botched abortions.The legal arguments are nothing new, and mimic the arguments made by other Planned Parenthoods across the country, when facing similar laws. The difference is that Alaska has in the past ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood in the states highest court.
The lawsuit also claims teens who want to have an abortion are treated differentially from those who want to keep their baby and it makes the claim the law violates equal protection standards.
The Anchorage Daily News reports that the history of abortion laws in Alaska has gone back and forth, and this show down might come down to the makeup of the court:
The state Legislature passed a law in 1997 over the veto of then-Gov. Tony Knowles that said pregnant teens had to get the approval of their parents or a judge before having an abortion.As per usual with these types of situations, Planned Parenthood attempts to paint themselves as the guardians of the law. In reality, they are the guardian of one thing: their profits. They are also ignoring the will of the people, who voted for Proposition 2 and decidedly chose to enact this law.
It never took effect because of court challenges. In 2007, the state Supreme Court, in a 3-2 decision, struck down the law, saying it robbed a pregnant teen of her constitutional right to make such an important decision.
Then-Chief Justice Dana Fabe, writing for the majority, left the door open for a law requiring parental notification.
Minnery said he expects Fabe -- whom his group tried unsuccessfully to remove from the bench in the November election -- to hold true to that.
Counting Alaska, some three dozen states now have a requirement for parental involvement in a teen's abortion, and big problems haven't emerged elsewhere, Minnery said.
But in three other states, parental notification requirements were permanently barred from taking effect because of court challenges, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
Chief Justice Dana Fabe voted against the parental consent law in 2007 but said in the majority opinion: “Contrary to the arguments of Planned Parenthood, we determine that the constitution permits a statutory scheme which ensures that parents are notified so that they can be engaged in their daughters’ important decisions in these matters.”
Justices Robert Eastaugh and Alexander Bryner, who voted against the consent law, have left the court.
It is deplorable that state resources are consumed to such length, regarding such a law. In essence, the fight is over whether or not Children can seek abortions without their parents consent. We hear about things all the time that children CAN'T do without some sort of permission, but to go the other way and argue that they should be able to receive abortions is ludicrous.
The main points that Planned Parenthood are arguing come down to essential this: that children in abusive situations need to seek abortions sans consent because of the nature of their situation, that the privacy rights of the children seeking abortions is the same of that of an adult in this state, and that equal protection affords them the ability to seek this care because no other similar care is restricted. Now these are very simplistic explanations of their main arguments, but even when explained fully the lack in validity.
If Planned Parenthood was being genuine, they would explain what plans they have in place for the protection of girls that seek abortions in abusive situations. But the reality of the situation is that they don't care for the well being of the children seeking the abortions, they only care for the vitality of their business. This truly is the essence of the Culture of Death.
For more information please see:
• LifeNews.com
• Complaint for Injunctive Relief
• Motion for Preliminary Injunction
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