Bill to protect minors - not passed yet

[Accountable]

Hotly Debated Abortion Bill Passed in Mississippi

The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.
Michael Newsom March 28, 2008

LINK
<snip>
Anti-abortion measures were added to House Bill 520 when it reached the Senate. The House bill was designed to create penalties for false reports of child abuse.


A Senate amendment offered by Sen. Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo, requires doctors to keep DNA samples from fetuses born to mothers who are 14 years old and under to determine paternity to help catch those who sexually abuse children. Physicians who violate the law could be fined up to $10,000 with five years in prison.


In the case of a minor who obtains an abortion without both parents' or a legal guardian's consent, the bill gives the minor and the guardians the right to sue those who helped get the abortion. The bill also requires doctors, clergy and other professionals who learn of a case that could involve sexual abuse of a minor to report it within 48 hours.

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Seems like excellent ideas to me. Your thought?

[RedGlitter]

In the case of a minor who obtains an abortion without both parents' or a legal guardian's consent, the bill gives the minor and the guardians the right to sue those who helped get the abortion.

This is the part I have a problem with, Acc. I know there are those who would argue the mental capacity of 14 year olds, but that aside, I am more concerned about those teenaged girls who cannot get a parent's permission because they would be harmed or suffer undue consequences at the parent's hand. Those situations exist and they're not rare either. I would rather the girl get herself an abortion on the sly in a safe and clean facility rather than end up being beaten or verbally abused or possibly worse, forced to carry to term against her will.

[Accountable]

There are advocates who fight for kids like that, and judges who will make them wards of the court, taking abusive parents out of the equation.

[RedGlitter]

That's true, Acc, but what about those girls who don't know how to go about getting that protection and the ones who fall through the cracks? All it takes is one crack of the hand against the jaw of a newly pregnant young woman from one angry irrational father. I much prefer the old days when a girl could go to an adult neighbor for a clandestine drive to the clinic without anyone else having to know.

---------------- Listening to: Staind - It's Been A While via FoxyTunes