Abortion bills head to House after heated debate

Two abortion bills that add more responsibilities to physicians performing the procedure passed easily out of committee Tuesday after strong debate on both sides of the emotional issue.

Both bills passed 7-1 and advanced to House of Representatives for debate.

The first piece of legislation, HB85, amends Utah law to require physicians to seek the consent of at least one parent or guardian prior to performing an abortion on a minor.

Sponsoring Rep. Kerry Gibson, R-Ogden, said his bill encourages parents to take responsibility and help their underage daughters with decisions they may not be equipped to make on their own.

"My intent with this bill is to encourage everyone, every minor who has an idea of doing this, to go back home and talk about it with their parents," Gibson said.

In 2004, 163 girls under the age of 17 received abortions, according to provisional data from the Utah Department of Health.

Current state law requires doctors to notify a girl's parents before performing an abortion, but does not allow the parents to stop the procedure. The statute, in place for more than 30 years, already allows for parental involvement in the cases where it's appropriate, said Karrie Galloway, executive director of Planned Parenthood of Utah.

"The abortion clinics will tell you that 95 percent of young people who choose to have a procedure come with parents or supportive adults," Galloway said. "We've got people talking in kitchens, probably in bedrooms and in living rooms all around the state."

In other cases, parental consent will cause additional problems and may cause girls to go out of state for treatment, she said.

Patricia Murphy, a certified nurse and midwife, testified Tuesday that she has seen many cases during her 25 years of practice involving pregnant teenagers who cannot turn to their parents for counsel.

"Girls who can talk to their families will be OK," Murphy said. "But for others, this solution can cause more problems."

HB85 includes a "judicial bypass" option, which would allow minors to seek court approval for the abortion when parental consent is not an option. It also includes an exemption in cases of incest or abuse and in the case of a medical emergency.

"I am fully aware that there will be many cases where parents should or cannot give consent to this," Gibson said.