July 03, 2009
Friday

Alaska Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell on Thursday certified an initiative that would require parental notice or consent before a minor under 18 years old could have an abortion, unless the teen submits a notarized statement that she is a victim of abuse by a parent or guardian, the teen convinces a court to bypass notice, or in the clinical judgment of the doctor, there is a medical emergency. This certification allows the initiative sponsors to proceed with gathering signatures required to place the measure on the ballot.

Lieutenant Governor Parnell's decision to certify the initiative, known as 09PIMA, was supported by a Department of Law legal opinion. The Department of Law's opinion, dated July 2, 2009, concluded that the bill and application are in the proper form, and that the application complies with the constitutional and statutory provisions governing the use of the initiative.

Petition booklets will be prepared by the Alaska Division of Elections. The sponsors will have one year to gather at least 32,734 valid signatures, composed of at least seven percent of the last general election turnout from thirty election districts in order for the proposed bill to be placed on a ballot.

Source of News:

Office of the Lt. Governor
www.ltgov.alaska.gov

 

SitNews ©2009
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska