Miami, Fla., Apr 18, 2004 / 22:00 pm
On November 2, the voters of Florida will not only play a decisive role in the presidential elections, they will also vote on a constitutional amendment requiring minors to notify their parents before seeking an abortion.
The Florida State Senate approved the bill 27-13, and the measure will now come before the general electorate.
''If the parents need to be told their child is being taken on a field trip to the zoo, shouldn't a father or mother or guardian be told that their child is about to undergo a physiological, a psychologically invasive procedure that's irreversible?'', asked Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, a Miami Republican who led the effort to pass the legislation.
Johnnie Byrd, Speaker of the House of Representatives, which recently approved the measure, expressed his confidence that parents will be able “to know that their daughters who are minors are making such an important decision.”
“I am happy the problem is being addressed. I think it is a good first step, and we’ll see what happens,” Byrd added.