Alaska parental notification abortion law struck down

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Alaska Supreme Court on Friday struck down a state law requiring parental notification for girls under age 18 seeking abortions, agreeing with pro-abortion rights advocates that the mandate approved by voters in 2010 was unconstitutional.

Justice Daniel Winfree, writing for the majority, said the court was not deciding whether abortions should be available to minors without restrictions but that the abortion notification law violated Alaska's constitutional equal protection provisions giving the same rights to all Alaskans.

In a concurring opinion, Justice Dana Fabe disagreed that the law violated the girls' equal protection rights but said she believes it violated their right to privacy.

"I believe that the Alaska Constitution permits a parental notification law, but not one that contains provisions that are among the most restrictive of any state's notification laws," she wrote.

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