Supreme Court Declines Montana's Parental Consent Law Appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Montana's appeal on a law requiring parental consent for minors' abortions, upheld by state constitution protection of privacy. The law, challenged by Planned Parenthood, was invalidated for impinging on individual rights. Montana argues the law is valid under the 14th Amendment due process.
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Montana's attempt to reinstate a law necessitating parental consent for minors seeking an abortion. This decision comes as a response to the challenge by reproductive health advocate Planned Parenthood, which argued the law infringed upon the state's constitutional privacy protections.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen's appeal against a lower court ruling—invalidating the law under state privacy guarantees—was declined by the justices. The 2013 law, which has faced protracted legal challenges, required notarized parental approval for underage abortions, with non-compliance leading to potential fines or jail time.
Despite this setback, another Montana law mandating parental notification remains active. The state's Supreme Court, in 2024, emphasized the importance of minors' rights over parental consent, supporting the broader trend of safeguarding abortion rights in the state post-Roe v. Wade reversal.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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