Sectional Analysis for CSHB 37

Parental Consent for Minor's Abortion

Section 1: Purpose and Legislative findings

• Intent of legislation is to protect the health and welfare of minors, foster and preserve the familystructure as a viable social unit, and protect the rights of parents to rear their children.
• The legislature finds that parents often possess information on the medical history of the minor that is essential to a physician's or surgeon's medical judgement.
• The legislature also finds that minors stand to benefit from parental counsel; the capacity to become pregnant and the capacity for mature judgment concerning the wisdom of an abortion are not necessarily related.

Section 2: Amends Title 18 of Alaska Statutes (Health & Safety)

• Repeals existing language on parental consent [AS 18.16.010(a)(3)] and replaces it with language requiring either parental consent or court authorization before an abortion can be performed on an unemancipated minor. The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that an unmarried woman under 18 is unemancipated.

Section 3: Establishes new subsections under AS 18.16.010

(Regulation of Abortions)

• Person who performs an abortion without obtaining the required consent is civilly liable to the minor's parent(s) or guardian for compensatory and punitive damages.
• It is an affirmative defense to prosecution if the person performing the abortion was provided by the pregnant minor with false, misleading, or incorrect information about age, marital status, or emancipation.
• It is an affirmative defense to prosecution if the person performing the abortion could not comply with the consent requirement because the continuation of the pregnancy posed an immediate threat of serious risk to the life or physical health of the pregnant woman, necessitating an immediate abortion.

Section 4: Establishes new sections under AS 18.16

(Regulation of Abortions)

• Sec. 18.16.020 provides that an abortion may not be performed on an unemancipated minor unless...

1. one of the minor's parents or the minor's guardian has consented to the procedure in writing; or

2. a court has issued an order permitting the minor to consent to the abortion without obtaining consent of a parent or guardian; or

3. a court by its inaction has constructively authorized a minor to consent to the abortion (see Sec. 18.16.030).

• Sec. 18.16.030 outlines the procedure for seeking a court order (judicial bypass) allowing a minor to consent to an abortion without first securing parental consent. Complaints must be filed in superior court. Complaint must be under oath and include a statement that the complainant is pregnant, unmarried, under age 18, unemancipated, and wishes to have an abortion without obtaining parental consent. In addition, the complainant must allege that she is sufficiently mature and well-informed to make an abortion decision without parental consent and/or that one or both of her parents or her guardian is abusing the complainant physically, sexually, or emotionally; or that securing consent is otherwise not in the woman's best interest. Sec. 18.16.030 also sets time limits for hearing complaints; establishes an appeals process; requires appointment of an attorney for complainants who have not retained counsel; provides for the anonymity of the complainant. If a court does not act on a complaint within the time limits established in the legislation, it shall be considered a "constructive order" allowing the minor to consent to the abortion without the consent of a parent or guardian.
• Sec. 18.16.090 defines the terms "abortion" and "unemancipated".

Section 5: Amends Title 44 of Alaska Statutes (State Government)

• Sec. 44.21.410(a) is amended to require the Office of Public Advocacy to provide legal representation for minors seeking a court order for an abortion without parental consent.

Section 6: Repeals Alaska Statute 18.16.010(d)

• The existing definition of abortion under AS 18.16 (Regulation of Abortions) is repealed (replaced with new definition @ Sec. 18.16.090).

Section 7: Amending Rule 40, Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure

• Sec. 18.16.030(c) of the bill has the effect of amending Rule 40 by setting time limits for hearing judicial bypass cases.

Section 8: Amending Rules 204, 210, 212, and 213,

Alaska Rules of Appellate Procedure

• Sec. 18.16.030(j) of the bill has the effect of amending Rules 204, 210, 212, and 213, by setting time limits for judicial bypass appeals, and also by liberally modifying or dispensing with formal requirements for the form and content of appellants' briefs.

Section 9: Amending Rule 512.5, Alaska Rules of Appellate Procedure

• Sec. 18.16.030(k) of the bill has the effect of amending Rule 512.5 by making certain appellate records and papers confidential.

Section 10: Amending Rule 9, Alaska Administrative Rules; Rule 79,

Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure; and Rule 508, Alaska Rules of

Appellate Procedure.

• Sec. 18.16.030(m) of the bill has the effect of amending Rule 9, Rule 79, and Rule 508 by prohibiting filing fees and court cost assessments in judicial bypass cases.