Gohmert bill requires parent notification before abortion

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) and 20 other House Republicans have written a bill that would ban abortions on anyone under the age of 18 unless the minor’s parents have been notified.

Gohmert’s Parental Notification and Intervention Act, H.R. 3601, would make it illegal for any entity that accepts federal funds to perform abortions on an unemancipated minor under 18 without written notification to the parents four days before the procedure takes place. Those rules would also be in effect for entities preparing to perform an abortion on an out-of-state minor.

{mosads}Notified parents would be allowed to seek a court order to block the abortion, and the bill says courts “shall issue a temporary injunction barring the performance of the abortion until the issue has been adjudicated and the judgment is final.”

“It is imperative that a caring parent, with the child’s best interest at heart should be a major part of this decision-making process,” Gohmert said Thursday. “Sadly, without a federal law in place, even in states with parental notification laws, parental guidance is taken out of the equation.”

“It is my commitment to continue pushing for legislation that promises to protect our most vulnerable, our unborn children,” he added. “The implementation of this bill will ultimately save lives and give control back to the very parents who must approve their children taking aspirin.”

Any violation of the law could lead to a fine of not more than $100,000, or a prison term of not more than one year, or both, for each violation.

The bill makes exceptions in cases when there is a medical emergency or parental notification is not possible because of the emergency. These conditions would have to be entered into the medical records of the minor.