THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 5, 1997 TAG: 9702050540
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY WARREN FISKE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 50 lines
Nothing is certain in politics and that goes double for a controversial bill that would require parents to be notified before abortions could be performed on school-aged daughters.
After 20 years of debate in the General Assembly, the proposed law appeared cast in stone Monday when the long-recalcitrant state Senate passed a version that appeared to be to the liking of Gov. George F. Allen and the House of Delegates.
But the House threw things into turmoil on Tuesday by passing a more lenient bill that would allow physicians performing abortions to bypass parents if the young woman prefers to notify her grandparent or a sibling over 21.
Allen, a staunch supporter of airtight parental notification requirements, instantly threatened a veto if the House bill reaches his desk - even if it means Virginia would go another year without no restrictions on teenage abortions.
``The version that passed the House is not a true form of parental rights,'' said Ken Stroupe, Allen's press secretary. ``Virginia parents - not some grandparent in Las Vegas - should be notified before an abortion is performed on their child.
``If that is the version that comes to the governor, he will veto it.''
No one is taking the governor's threat lightly. In 1994, the governor vetoed a similar notification bill that provided girls under 18 a bypass to grandparents or blood relatives older than 21.
The House action was something of a surprise. Last year, the chamber rejected efforts to bypass parents with relatives. This year, the chamber voted 52-48 for an amendment to the notification bill containing the provision. Nine Republicans supported the measure.
Proponents argued the amendment would help teens who feared telling their parents they are pregnant. Del. Mary T. Christian, D-Hampton, said a law without the bypass would be insensitive to minorities.
``There's a tradition among African-Americans . . . that is called extended family,'' she said. ``I'm asking each of you to step out of your shoes and step into the shoes of a different culture.''
Opponents said the amendment is superfluous, noting that the bill already provided a judicial bypass for girls with abusive parents.
Despite Tuesday's action, House Republicans said they were confident they could muster enough votes to defeat the bypass later this month when it considers the Senate version of the notification bill. GOP leaders said several legislators claimed they didn't understand the amendment and pledged to reverse themselves.
KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY PARENTAL NOTIFICATION