9th Circuit Strikes Down Parental Consent Law in Idaho
by Rusty Pugh and Jody Brown
July 23, 2004
(AgapePress) - An Idaho pro-life activist is expressing disappointment that hundreds of girls will fall prey to abortionists because of a ruling by a liberal panel of federal judges.Idaho's "Parental Consent" law, which prevents underage girls from obtaining an abortion without their parents' approval, has been struck down by a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, which has the reputation of handing down liberal-leaning decisions that are regularly overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. The three judges who reviewed and threw out the pro-life law are all Bill Clinton-appointed judges.
David Ripley, executive director of the group Idaho Chooses Life, says given this court's history, the ruling was not surprising. "It was not unexpected, but it certainly is heartbreaking," the pro-life advocate laments. "When you think in about two or three years, in a best-case scenario, of teenagers -- 12, 13, 14 [years of age] -- making this decision by themselves without the support and protection of their parents, it's just makes a man weep."
Riply says the sad part of the situation is that an appeal to the Supreme Court will take time, which means girls will continue to be easy prey for seduction by Planned Parenthood. "The fact is that we don't see any alternative but to wait it out," he explains. "We're asking folks to pray for the daughters of Idaho as they go through the next [few] years, and perhaps we can find some way to be of help to them outside of the legal system."
Ripley says given the 9th Circuit's history of having rulings overturned, he is optimistic that the Supreme Court will reverse this decision and restore Idaho's law meant to protect girls from the likes of groups such as Planned Parenthood.
OTC Access to 'Morning-After' Pill
Meanwhile, teenage girls are the obvious target of one of the manufacturers of the "morning-after" pill, which prevents implantation of a fertilized egg in a woman. Barr Laboratories has asked the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider allowing over-the-counter sales of the pills -- but only for women who are 16 or older.
Earlier this year, the FDA rejected nonprescription sales of the pills even though its own advisors endorsed easier access to morning-after pills as a way to prevent thousands of abortions. That rejection was based on concern the agency had about how the pills might be used by young teenagers.
Now the FDA has indicated it will reconsider that earlier decision if Barr will do one of two things: provide information on young teens' use of the pills; or propose a way to ensure that those purchasing the pills over the counter meet the minimum age requirement.
