I'm going to tell you a story that I hope will automatically make you vote NO on this extremely dangerous proposition.
My college mentor told me a story about her mom who was a nurse in a hospital in LA. One night a 14-year old girl was rolled into the ER on a bed lying in a pool of her own blood. The girl's boyfriend came in with her frantically crying. Apparently, this couple tried to do a self-abortion with a metal coat hanger because they didn't know where to go or what to do about the young womyn's pregnancy. That night, that 14-year old girl died. My mentor's mom changed profession and said that scarred her for life.
This is the THIRD time parental notification is on the California ballot. Proponents have changed the terminologies over and over again hoping that the law will pass with the new words they choose to fool voters. Also, they added new stipulations making it "easier" for a young pregnant womyn to get an abortion if she should choose to. Don't be fooled! Prop 4, if passed, poses an insurmountable danger to young women who will be too scared to approach anyone in their family about being pregnant.
Prop 4:
- Provides exceptions for medical emergency or parental waiver. (the prop says she can be waived by a family, but what if the young womyn can't approach anyone in the family, which is VERY common!)
- Permits courts to waive notice based on clear and convincing evidence of minor’s maturity or best interests. (TRUE, but these young womyn have no access to transportation or guidance on how to do this.. having an abortion is already difficult, don't make it more difficult for a young scared womyn. Also, the stipulation says the young womyn has only 3 days to get to the doctor then to the court and then back to the doctor. This just is not possible).
- Mandates reporting requirements, including reports from physicians regarding abortions on minors.
- Authorizes monetary damages against physicians for violation.
- Requires minor’s consent to abortion, with exceptions.
- Permits judicial relief if minor’s consent is coerced.
Try to imagine yourself as a 15-year old pregnant girl. You're scared beyond belief and the guy who got you pregnant isn't there for you to support you. Your uncle, the only family member besides your mom, molested you as a child, your dad died, and your mom is physically and emotionally abusive, and you have no other family members. Who do you go to for help when you're scared out of your mind because you missed your period? And you know you can't have this baby, but the legal system has made it all too difficult for you to get this abortion without your mother finding out.
Don't be fooled by this third attempt of parental notification. It says that the teenager can get permission from the court or another family member, but it isn't that easy. I urge you, PLEASE, to vote NO on Prop 4! Sarah's Law will endanger these young womyn to commit harm to themselves. Please don't let that happen. VOTE NO on PROP 4.
I'm so adamant about voting NO on this prop that I'm only giving you one link:
Teen Safety Website -- http://www.noonprop4.org/
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