California voters may face another measure on the ballot concerning parental notification for minors seeking abortions. Two initiatives have been certified to circulate for signatures.  To qualify for the ballot, the proponent must collect 807,615 signatures of registered voters by June 11, 2012.

One measure proposes to amend the California Constitution to prohibit abortion for an unemancipated minor until a physician notifies her parent/legal guardian in writing.  The other measure would amend the California Constitution to prohibit abortion for unemancipated minors until 48 hours after a physician notifies her parent/legal guardian in writing.  Both versions provide exceptions for medical emergency, parental waiver or parental abuse documented by a notarized statement from law enforcement, protective services or certain adult relatives, and permit judges to waive the notice if the minor appears in court and proves maturity or that a waiver is in her best interest.

Currently, thirty-six states enforce parental involvement requirements.  In the past five years, three similar measures have appeared on California ballots and have been defeated.[1] California voters apparently recognize that while they hope their own daughters, if faced with such a situation, would come to them, there is a need to protect minors who don’t have someone to go to.  According to a 2008 UC San Francisco report, “it is likely that poor adolescents and adolescents of color would bear a larger proportion of the likely impact if a parental involvement mandate was implemented.”[2]