California Voters Reject Proposition 4

Parental notification laws like Proposition 4 endanger the health and safety of teens. Today, California voters once again rejected this type of dangerous barrier for teens attempting to access abortion care.

While parents rightly want to be involved in the decisions of their teenage daughters, good family communication cannot be legislated. California already leads the nation in the rate of parental communication about issues concerning sexual activity, according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. However, involving a parent is not a realistic option for many young women seeking to terminate a pregnancy, and some young women may delay seeking care or even resort to dangerous alternatives if forced to involve a parent in their decision. That is why many professional groups in California, including the California Medical Association and the California Nurses Association, opposed this harmful proposition.

This is the third time California voters have rejected a parental notification provision. Two similar measures were defeated in 2005 and 2006, by margins of 52.6 percent to 47.4 percent, and 54.2 percent to 45.8 percent, respectively.