Nov. 3--The fate of a law that would require physicians in Illinois to notify a parent or guardian when a girl 17 or younger seeks an abortion remained in limbo Monday afternoon.
State regulators said enforcement of the 1995 law, set to go into effect Tuesday, would be delayed at least until Wednesday morning, when the medical disciplinary board for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation meets.
Board members want to ensure the judicial waiver process is accessible to all young women and girls in Illinois.
"Enforcement could begin then or the grace period could be extended further," said Susan Hofer, spokeswoman for the agency.
The waiver process allows girls to bypass parental notification by going before a judge, who then would have 48 hours to rule on the petition.
Abortion opponents have long sought the law, but critics say it could keep minors from seeking safe procedures. In July, a federal appeals court in Chicago lifted a federal injunction on a 1995 version of the law, clearing it for enforcement. In August, the regulation department granted doctors a 90-day grace period before it would go into effect.
Under the law, a parent or guardian does not have to give consent for the procedure, but they must be notified that a teenager is planning to have an abortion.
No notice is required in a medical emergency or if the girl declares in writing that she was sexually assaulted.
-----
To see more of the Chicago Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.chicagotribune.com.
Copyright (c) 2009, Chicago Tribune
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.