Do the state abortion laws apply to the health care center you go to, or where you are from?
State abortion laws only apply to health care providers in the state where a patient goes for services; it does not matter what state she came from. For instance, if a state law requires anyone under 18 to get parental permission for an abortion, all providers in that state must uphold that law, regardless of whether the patient is from that state or a different state. (For one reason or another, some health care providers may also have their own additional policies or procedures — so a provider might require parental notification even if state law does not. Planned Parenthood’s policy is to protect patient confidentiality as much as the law allows.)
The staff at your local Planned Parenthood health center can help you learn more about the laws in your state, as well as the judicial bypass option — which can excuse you from parental consent or notification requirements (if your state has such a requirement) if you’re under 18. You can also learn more about state abortion laws on our website.
Tags: Abortion, parental consent, health center, state laws