
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 16, 1992                   TAG: 9203160141
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ROBERT A. ARCHER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PARENTAL NOTIFICATION - THE PROS AND CONS LEGISLATION COULD BE HARMFUL TO

THIS MONTH the Virginia General Assembly passed HB1110, a bill restricting a minor's access to abortion services. The bill is now on Gov. Wilder's desk, and he will decide between now and April 7 whether to veto or sign the bill into law.

It does not require thought to determine that this legislation could actually be harmful to the people it is intended to reach. We can all agree that encouraging parental involvement is important, however, requiring it can be dangerous. Does it not seem realistic that if a minor comes from a "strong" family environment that the family would be involved regardless of the crises? My main concern is for the thousands of minors who find themselves in tough situations and, for any number of reasons, simply cannot and will not seek help from parents. I would also point out that it is ludicrous to assume that minors would approach our bureaucratic legal system for relief. Adults are reluctant to deal with our judiciary; why would we expect youth to do so? This approach is unreasonable and I would seriously doubt that the judges of Virginia feel this matter is one they should have to "police."

There are numerous other issues to consider when deciding if this approach is really good for the citizens of Virginia, and I will attempt to summarize them.

1. Pregnant teens who do not inform their parents often seek alternative means for obtaining an abortion. Many are from dysfunctional families.

2. Such laws place dysfunctional families in crises. Tens of thousands of Virginia families are already in crises. Child abuse, battering, alcoholism, drug abuse and divorce are common family concerns. For teen-agers living in dysfunctional homes, informing a parent of an unintended pregnancy can exacerbate family problems and even lead to violent confrontation.

3. These laws do not protect minors. They do not create programs to foster communication or encourage better family ties.

4. Such laws do place an undue burden on taxpayers. I have been informed that according to the Supreme Court of Virginia, implementation of a parental notification law could cost Virginia taxpayers more than $1.5 million a year. In addition, welfare costs to teen-age mothers would likely increase. The commonwealth spent more than $284 million last year for public social service costs resulting from teen-age childbearing.

5. Other states in close proximity to Virginia do not have this onerous bill. Many minors will be forced to leave the state for what should be legal medical care.

These are just a few of the issues that would indicate this approach is unrealistic as well as unreasonable. Bottom line, this is clearly an anti-abortion measure and could be the first step to outlaw all abortion rights in Virginia. Do we really want to return to a system that clearly did not work in years past, and places our government in the position of dictating moral issues best left to the individual involved?

by CNB