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March 29, 2019HB 1335, which requires that a parent shall provide consent before a minor can terminate her pregnancy, passed its first committee of reference, Health Quality Subcommittee (10-4). FCCB indicated its support for the bill during the meeting.
Florida statutes require, in most cases, that a parent must consent to a minor's medical treatment. This is not the case when a minor seeks an abortion, which is a permanent procedure and life-ending for the unborn child.
The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) has upheld laws requiring parental consent prior to a minor's abortion, as long as the child can petition the court for a waiver in certain circumstances. However, a law similar to those upheld by SCOTUS was successfully challenged in our state in 1989, citing concerns with the judicial bypass procedure and privacy rights.
The Florida Supreme Court's concerns with the bypass procedure cited in striking down Florida's former parental consent law are addressed in HB 1335.
