5th Circuit upholds Texas law requiring minors to obtain parental consent for contraception

Texas Tribune ^ | 3/12/24 | POOJA SALHOTRA

[CFW]

A three-judge panel in New Orleans ruled that a Texas law requiring minors to obtain parental consent to obtain birth control does not conflict with the goals of the federally-funded Title X program, which has given teens birth control confidentially.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Texas law requiring parental consent to obtain contraception for minors.

The decision from a three-judge panel of the federal appeals court in New Orleans largely affirms a 2022 ruling from U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo, that ended one of the only avenues for Texas teens to confidentially obtain birth control, through federally funded family planning clinics. Since 1970, the federal Title X program has provided free contraception to anyone regardless of age, income or immigration status.

The 5th Circuit panel, which heard the case last year, found parental consent required for minors’ medical treatment under the Texas Family Code does not conflict with federal law that allows U.S. teens to obtain contraception confidentially at federally-funded family planning clinics.

“Moreover, Title X’s goal (encouraging family participation in teens’ receiving family planning services) is not undermined by Texas’s goal (empowering parents to consent to their teen’s receiving contraceptives),” wrote Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan. “To the contrary, the two laws reinforce each other.”

[CFW]

One would think this would be common sense. Birth control is a decision with both physical and psychological repercussions. Of course a parent should be informed. In addition, if a minor is having sex then there are legal ramifications to consider as well.

[kiryandil]

In addition, if a minor is having sex then there are legal ramifications to consider as well.

We have to remember that the Democrat Party is the party of child sex-trafficking.

[DoughtyOne]

Good.

[TangoLimaSierra]

Can't help but think it is their way of ensuring a lot of teen pregnancies. Fodder for Planned Parenthood.

Sorry, but teens are gonna teen.

[napscoordinator]

I’m amazed that you can’t give a pain pill for a headache to a minor (not a parent). But an adult can give birth control, body modification drugs or allow an abortion to minors. That seems so upside down to me.