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parental consent
The rules about abortion are different depending on where you live. In some states, you can get an abortion without telling your parents. In others, there are Parental Consent or Parental Notification laws.
-
Parental Consent means that you will need to get permission from a parent if you are under
a certain age, usually 18.
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Parental Notification means that you will have to tell a
parent if you are under a certain age, usually 18, but you don't need their permission.
The chart below shows the current situation for each state (last updated
on 7/2007). There is also information on state law makers
that may be trying to change the law, which can happen at anytime.
You can find detailed information on your reproductive rights and monthly
reports on Parental Consent/Notification laws at the website for the Alan
Guttmacher Institute.
If you are thinking about an abortion and live where there is a
Parental Consent/Notification law, it's a good idea to call a clinic in your state
(or the Abortion Hotline at 1-800-772-9100) and talk with
someone about your options. Usually you can get around telling your parents by
going to a clinic in a state without these restrictions or, explaining your situation to a
judge (this is called Judicial
Bypass).
But this can take time, so call right away.
Parental Consent Laws are enacted on a state by state basis. They can be fought state by state too, so get involved. Abortion Rights organizations are listed in Resources under activism.
parental
consent
by
state
|
|
Key
|
|
PC
|
Parental Consent
|
|
PN
|
Parental Notification
|
|
NONE
|
No PC or PN are required now
|
|
2
|
Both parents required
|
|
|
State
|
Status
|
Comments
|
|
AL
|
Alabama
|
PC
|
|
|
AK
|
Alaska
|
NONE
|
PN law stopped by court
|
|
AZ
|
Arizona
|
PC
|
|
|
AR
|
Arkansas
|
PC
|
|
|
CA
|
California
|
NONE
|
PC law stopped by court
|
|
CO
|
Colorado
|
PN
|
|
|
CT
|
Connecticut
|
NONE
|
|
|
DE
|
Delaware
|
PN
|
applies only to girls under 16years old; notice may also
be to grandparent or counselor; doctor can bypass
|
|
DC
|
Washington
|
NONE
|
|
|
FL
|
Florida
|
PN
|
|
|
GA
|
Georgia
|
PN
|
|
|
HI
|
Hawaii
|
NONE
|
|
|
ID
|
Idaho
|
PC
|
PC law is back as of March 2007
|
|
IL
|
Illinois
|
NONE
|
PN law stopped by court. Still stopped!
|
|
IN
|
Indiana
|
PC
|
|
|
IA
|
Iowa
|
PN
|
also allows consent of grandparent instead
|
|
KS
|
Kansas
|
PN
|
|
|
KY
|
Kentucky
|
PC
|
|
|
LA
|
Louisiana
|
PC
|
|
|
ME
|
Maine
|
NONE
|
|
|
MD
|
Maryland
|
PN
|
doctor can bypass
|
|
MA
|
Massachusetts
|
PC
|
|
|
MI
|
Michigan
|
PC
|
|
|
MN
|
Minnesota
|
PN2
|
|
|
MS
|
Mississippi
|
PC2
|
|
|
MO
|
Missouri
|
PC
|
|
|
MT
|
Montana
|
NONE
|
PN stopped by court
|
|
NE
|
Nebraska
|
PN
|
|
|
NV
|
Nevada
|
NONE
|
PN stopped by court
|
|
NH
|
New Hampshire
|
NONE
|
PN law stopped by court
|
|
NJ
|
New Jersey
|
NONE
|
PN law stopped by court
|
|
NM
|
New Mexico
|
NONE
|
PC law stopped by court
|
|
NY
|
New York
|
NONE
|
|
|
NC
|
North Carolina
|
PC
|
also allows consent of grandparent instead
|
|
ND
|
North Dakota
|
PC2
|
|
|
OH
|
Ohio
|
PC
|
|
|
OK
|
Oklahoma
|
PN & PC |
Law
requiring both started 11/2006 |
|
OR
|
Oregon
|
NONE
|
|
|
PA
|
Pennsylvania
|
PC
|
|
|
RI
|
Rhode Island
|
PC
|
|
|
SC
|
South Carolina
|
PC
|
Women under 17 years old; also allows for consent of grandparent
|
|
SD
|
South Dakota
|
PN
|
|
|
TN
|
Tennessee
|
PC
|
|
|
TX
|
Texas
|
PC
|
Law since 10/99 Thanks to Gov. George W. Bush
|
|
UT
|
Utah
|
PN & PC
|
|
|
VA
|
Virginia
|
PC
|
also allows consent of grandparent instead
|
|
VT
|
Vermont
|
NONE
|
|
|
WA
|
Washington
|
NONE
|
|
|
WV
|
West Virginia
|
PN
|
doctor can bypass
|
|
WI
|
Wisconsin
|
PC
|
also allows other family members over 25 to consent; doctor
can bypass
|
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WY
|
Wyoming
|
PC
|
|
|
|
usually you can get around telling your parents
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