Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023
Does Nevada allow a minor to get an abortion without notifying their parents?
Nevadans under the age of 18 do not require parental notification or consent to receive an abortion.
In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court held that consent statutes are constitutional as long as they:
Give the minor a chance to show they are mature enough to make the decision on their own or that an abortion is in their best interest.Protect their anonymity.Set reasonable time limits for judicial action.
Nevada formerly required parental notification for abortions unless a minor received court "bypass" authorization. However, this requirement was struck down by a federal court in 1985 because it did not impose a time limit on courts making bypass request decisions. A 2015 bill that would have reinstated parental notification requirements in Nevada did not become law.
Thirty-six states require some degree of parental involvement.
In a 2022 Nevada poll, more than half of respondents supported a 48-hour parental notification window, a quarter were neutral and 19% were opposed.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Abortion Finder Abortion in Nevada
- Oyez Ohio v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health
- Nevada Legislature Chapter 442 - Maternal and Child Health; Abortion | NRS 442.255
- Power2Parent Parental Notification of Minor Abortion
- Nevada Legislature AB405 Overview
- Guttmacher Institute Parental Involvement in Minors’ Abortions
- Nevada Independent NV Indy Poll
About fact briefs
Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by Gigafact contributor publications.
See all fact briefs
The Nevada Independent is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news and opinion website founded in 2017 by veteran political journalist and commentator Jon Ralston. The site and its supporting channels are focused on ethical, unbiased and transparent journalism. In general, we aim to gather and disseminate important public information and increase civic engagement. We are supported by corporate donations, memberships, event ticket sales and sponsorships and foundation grants. We disclose all our members and donors. Donors have no influence over our content, ever. The Nevada Independent is the dba for Nevada News Bureau, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2010 by Elizabeth Thompson, who now serves as one of The Nevada Independent's managing directors and its Editor.
Learn MoreLatest Fact Briefs
Does preschool increase the likelihood that a child will attend college?
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025
Was a large percentage of votes received after Election Day in Nevada in 2024?
Monday, Feb. 3, 2025
Did Nevada lag most of the nation in job growth in 2024?
Monday, Jan. 27, 2025