PRESS CONFERENCE

A Press Conference was conducted today in the Speaker’s Chamber by Senator Fred Dyson and Representative John Coghill to discuss the recent parental consent decision by the Alaska Supreme Court. I attended the conference, along with Rep. Mike Kelly, Rep. Nancy Dahlstrom, Rep. Bill Stoltze, Rep. Kevin Myers, Rep. Craig Johnson, Senator Donny Olson, and others.

I made the statement that the Supreme Court had committed aggravated assault on parental rights, and is making parents irrelevant. Several of us made the point that this case is not relevant to the abortion debate, it’s about parent rights.

A preliminary draft of a resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to consent of a parent or legal guardian before an abortion is provided to a minor was released to the media. The resolution will be introduced into the legislature in January 2008 (it can’t be done during our Special Session). I’ll be a proud co-sponsor of the resolution. The draft language follows:

“BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

Section 1. Article 1. The Constitution of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read:

Section XX Abortions for minors. “Notwithstanding any other provision of the Constitution, a parent or guardian is entitled to direct and control the medical care of their minor child. Subject only to emergency situations as defined by the legislature, and a judicial bypass procedure as created by the legislature consistent with the criteria set forth in Bellotti v. Baird 443 U.S. 622 (1979).

Section 2. The amendment proposed by this resolution shall be placed before the voters of the State at the next general election in conformity with Art. XIII, Sec 1, Constitution of the State of Alaska, and the election laws of the state."

The Alaska Supreme Court has let the parental consent legislation lie dormant for some ten years. Governor Palin will soon be appointing a new Supreme Court Justice, who could upset the current philosophical bias of the Court. Now suddenly the current Court has an uncontrollable urge to overturn the parental consent law. If you believe this is a coincidence, I have a bridge to the moon I’d like to sell you.