Bill to Notify Parents Before Giving Minors Contraceptives

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Rep. Todd Akin (R-Miss.) on Tuesday introduced legislation (S 1279, HR 3011) in both the Senate and House that would require federally funded health clinics to notify the parents of any minors seeking contraception at least five days before dispensing the contraception, the Oklahoman reports. The legislation -- known as the Parents Right to Know Act -- would not require clinics to obtain parental consent. The legislation would apply to all clinics nationwide that receive federal family planning funding, according to the Oklahoman (Helm, Oklahoman, 6/22). Supporters of the measures say such legislation would keep parents involved in their teens' lives, but opponents of the bills say requiring parental notification could discourage young women from seeking reproductive health care and put them at risk for unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases (Bansal, CNSNews.com, 6/22). The legislation would affect about 4,400 health clinics that provide reproductive health services to about five million low-income and uninsured women throughout the United States. Such clinics received about $286 million in federal funds in fiscal year 2005 (Gannett/Spokane Spokesman-Review, 6/22)