The New York Young Republican Club supports the four below-referenced bills, each of which would remedy defects in New York’s existing public policy regarding abortion.
Bills A.6473-Murray and A.7119-Lawrence would each require that a custodial parent be notified 48 hours before an abortion is performed upon a non-emancipated minor. The two bills provide for exceptions in medical emergencies, in situations where the custodial parent has already been notified, and in cases where a minor seeking an abortion has obtained a family court order waiving the notice requirement. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 38 states require some form of parental notification before an abortion is performed upon a minor. To protect the health and well being of young people, New York should join those 38 states in passing a parental notification law.
Bill A.3725-DiPietro would provide for various requirements relating to informed consent and fetal heartbeat testing. Specifically, the bill would require that a physician meet with a woman at least 24 hours prior to the performance of an abortion, provide her with information regarding the procedure, and offer her an opportunity to ask questions. The bill would also require that a woman seeking an abortion be informed in advance of the identity of the physician who is expected to perform the procedure. The New York Ultrasound Informed Consent Act (Bill A.3717-DiPietro) would require that a fetal ultrasound be performed and displayed to a pregnant woman before an abortion is performed upon her. Informed consent should be a prerequisite for any non-emergency medical procedure; therefore, these two bills should become law.