Senate endorses abortion notification bill

Senate endorses abortion notification bill

STEPHEN DOCKERY, Associated Press

HELENA — The Senate has endorsed a bill to require girls under 16 to notify their parents before having an abortion.

Senate Bill 97 would require doctors to give 48 hours' notice to parents of girls 15 and younger seeking an abortion. But it also makes some exceptions, such as in the case of an abusive relationship.

The bill was endorsed by a 29-21 vote Thursday and faces one usually procedural vote before heading to the House.

State Sens. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, and Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, voted for the measure.

House legislators are also hearing a bill to call a referendum to specify that the Montana constitution gives no right to an abortion.

Both measures are among several Republican-backed abortion bills to come before the Legislature. Last week a bill to require a woman to have an ultrasound before an abortion failed in the House.

HELENA — The Senate has endorsed a bill to require girls under 16 to notify their parents before having an abortion.

Senate Bill 97 would require doctors to give 48 hours' notice to parents of girls 15 and younger seeking an abortion. But it also makes some exceptions, such as in the case of an abusive relationship.

The bill was endorsed by a 29-21 vote Thursday and faces one usually procedural vote before heading to the House.

State Sens. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, and Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, voted for the measure.

House legislators are also hearing a bill to call a referendum to specify that the Montana constitution gives no right to an abortion.

Both measures are among several Republican-backed abortion bills to come before the Legislature. Last week a bill to require a woman to have an ultrasound before an abortion failed in the House.