News from Senator Loren Leman

Alaska State Legislature

Wendy Lindskoog, Senate Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: 907/465-4582
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Broadcast Actualities: 800/478-6540

For Immediate Release: April 1, 1997 Contact: Senator Loren Leman 907/465-2095

LEMAN SAYS COURT DECISION VALIDATES PARENTAL CONSENT BILL

Juneau -- A bill in the Legislature to require parental consent before a minor's abortion has been bolstered by yesterday's U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding a similar statute in Montana, according to bill sponsor Senator Loren Leman (R-Anchorage).

"The Supreme Court has once again affirmed that state laws requiring parental involvement in the abortion decisions of minors are fully constitutional and serve the valid purpose of protecting parental rights," Leman commented. "The judicial bypass provision in the Montana statute is virtually identical to that contained in the Alaska legislation. This essentially guarantees our bill, when enacted, will not be struck down on federal constitutional grounds."

In the Montana case, Lambert v. Wicklund, the Supreme Court overturned the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals which had declared the Montana law unconstitutional on a minor technicality. Any challenge to an Alaska parental consent law in the federal court would be considered by the same court. "In its opinion, the Supreme Court chides the Ninth Circuit for ignoring a myriad of previous High Court rulings which have upheld parental involvement statutes," Leman noted.

Senator Leman's parental consent bill, SB 24, was approved March 26 in the Senate, by a vote of 15 to 4. It has been transmitted to the House and is now pending in the Finance Committee.

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