Gov. Bush Signs Parental Notification and Clinic Regulation Bills.

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush recently signed two bills championed by pro-lifers: one requiring the notification of a parent when a minor girl seeks an abortion and one tightening regulations in clinics performing second- and third-trimester abortions.

The Parental Notice of Abortion Act, signed by Bush May 25, finally became law after voters in November 2004 overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to pass such a bill. When unmarried girls 17 or younger seek an abortion, the abortionist must notify one parent "in person or by phone 48 hours before the abortion or, if that's not possible, by certified mail 72 hours in advance," according to the Associated Press (AP).

"This bill puts parents back in the driver's seat," Lynda Bell, spokeswoman for Florida Right to Life, told NRL News. "It took the will of the voters combined with the will of legislators to protect the rights of parents and the safety of young girls who need their parent's guidance and support."

The act includes bypass procedures, waiving notice for a medical emergency or with a judge's ...