Montana Supreme Court Upholds Minors' Abortion Rights

Montana's highest court ruled that requiring minors to get parental consent for abortions violates the state constitution. The decision is a victory for Planned Parenthood and affirms minors' reproductive rights. The ruling does not affect the separate parental notification law, which remains contested. Montana's attorney general criticized the decision.

In a landmark decision on Wednesday, Montana's highest court ruled that a law mandating parental consent for minors seeking abortions violates the state's constitution. The court, led by Justice Laurie McKinnon, emphasized that minors' reproductive rights are fundamental and not sufficiently justified for restriction by the state.

Martha Fuller, president of Planned Parenthood of Montana, welcomed the ruling, stating that it reaffirms the fundamental privacy rights of Montanans. In stark contrast, Montana's Attorney General Austin Knudsen, a Republican, strongly condemned the decision, deeming it out-of-touch with Montana constituents.

The parental consent law, passed in 2013 but never enforced due to legal challenges, permitted minors to obtain a judicial waiver instead of parental approval. Another 2013 law requiring parental notification remains disputed. Despite political challenges, abortion remains legal in Montana until fetal viability.

(With inputs from agencies.)