back April 27, 2005 House Passes Parental Notification Regarding Interstate Abortions for Minors  WASHINGTON – First District Congressman Paul Ryan cosponsored and voted in favor of legislation that would prevent people, including abusive boyfriends, from transporting young girls across state lines in order to avoid their state’s parental notification laws regarding abortion. In cases where a minor travels to another state that does not have a parental involvement law to obtain an abortion, this measure would also require abortionists to provide parental notification before the abortion is performed. The U.S. House of Representatives today passed this legislation – H.R. 748, the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act – by a vote of 270-157. It awaits action by the U.S. Senate.  “This legislation protects young girls from being pressured to cross state lines for a secret abortion, and it stands up for the parents’ right to protect their daughters’ health and well-being and give them guidance,” Ryan said. “I think we should all be able to agree that parents need to know about a crucial matter like this. Parents’ permission is routinely required to administer basic medications such as aspirin to their children or for field trips or other travel. The idea that they would not be notified of an abortion defies common sense.”  H.R. 748 contains two sections, each of which creates a new federal crime subject to a $100,000 fine, or one year in jail, or both. The first section of the legislation makes it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion in another state in order to avoid a state law requiring parental involvement in a minor’s abortion decision. Twenty-three states currently have parental consent or notification laws in force; Wisconsin is not counted among them, due to the way its consent law is written. This section of H.R. 748 does not apply to minors themselves or to their parents. It also does not apply in life-threatening emergencies. The second section of the legislation applies when a minor from one state crosses state lines to have an abortion in another state that does not have a law requiring parental involvement (and also when a minor crosses into a state that does have a state law requiring parental involvement, but the physician fails to comply.) In such cases, the legislation makes it a federal crime for the abortion provider to fail to give one of the minor’s parents, or a legal guardian if necessary, 24 hours’ notice before the abortion is performed. The second section of H.R. 748 does not apply where the abortion provider is presented with court papers showing that the parental involvement law in effect in the minor’s state has been complied with, where the minor declares in a signed written statement that she has been the victim of abuse by a parent and the abortionist notifies the appropriate state authorities of such abuse, or in the case of a life-threatening emergency.   Print Contact: Kate Matus (202) 226-7326