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Repealing parental notification for abortion law deprives girls of fathers’ support
By Jeffery M. Leving
The Illinois House and Senate just passed a bill which would repeal Illinois’ parental notification for abortion law, and have sent that bill to Governor JB Pritzker for his signature, thus creating a new law.
The parental notification law requires girls age 17 and younger seeking an abortion to notify a parent or obtain approval from a judge to bypass the requirement.
The bill repealing the parental notification law, if signed into law by the Governor, will likely cause harm to some pregnant girls because they will be deprived of the support they could have received from their fathers, had their fathers known of the planned abortion.
There are two main ways that an informed father can help his young daughter.
First, fathers are often in a position to help their pregnant teenage daughters. In my family law practice, I represent many fathers whose presence in their daughters’ lives is unfortunately limited.
But these men, if they knew about their daughter’s situation, would try to help—possibly with adoption or even helping to raise the child, but certainly with support throughout the pregnancy.
An informed father might even retain legal counsel to identify his daughter’s impregnator and secure child support, even if it’s only a small amount.
Second, some girls become pregnant because they are sexually assaulted. Parents who are notified can follow up and make sure the police are called and that the offender is held accountable.
What father wants to be ignorant of the fact that his daughter was raped and is pregnant as a result?
To repeal this law would be to discard parents, especially fathers, who in many cases can and do help their daughters. It would also likely harm some pregnant girls who could have significantly benefitted from their fathers’ support had the fathers been notified of the planned abortion.
Attorney Jeffery M. Leving is the founder and president of the Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving Ltd. In addition to How to be a Good Divorced Dad, he is the author of Fathers’ Rights and Divorce Wars. To learn more about Jeffery M. Leving and his legislative advocacy, follow him on Twitter and Facebook, and view his videos on You Tube.
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