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Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023

Does Nevada allow a minor to get an abortion without notifying their parents?


yes

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.

See a full discussion of this at The Nevada Independent

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

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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.

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