Kennedy, Moody, colleagues introduce pro-life bill to protect victims, support parental rights

WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) and seven colleagues in introducing the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, which would protect victims and bolster parental rights in cases where minors cross state lines to receive an abortion.

"Parents should not be kept in the dark if their kids cross state lines to receive an abortion. I'm proud to help introduce the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, which would take important steps to protect vulnerable minors and support parents," said Kennedy.

"As a mother, I cannot imagine my child being transported across state lines for a medical procedure without my knowledge. Parents should never be kept out of the loop when it comes to major, life-altering decisions affecting their children. I'm introducing the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act to strengthen protections for parents and families by ensuring compliance with state parental notification and consent laws," said Moody.

Currently, some parents are deprived of critical information about their children's wellbeing when minors are transported to states that do not require parental notification or consent for an abortion.

The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act would correct this issue by making it a crime to knowingly transport a minor across state lines for an abortion without meeting the parental rights requirements of the minor's state of residence.

The bill would also ban perpetrators of incest from transporting their minor victims across state lines for an abortion.

Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) cosponsored the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act.

"We cannot allow sex traffickers and child abusers to circumvent states' parental notification laws by crossing state lines to conceal an abortion from a child's parents. This legislation puts in place needed safeguards to ensure state sovereignty is protected and those who seek to harm children are held accountable," said Cassidy.

"Far too often, children are trafficked across state lines to get an abortion- without parental consent. This is wrong and threatens both the safety of our children and the rights of their parents. I'm proud to introduce the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act with Senator Moody to protect vulnerable minors and uphold the importance of parental rights," said Daines.

"No one should be secretly trafficking minors across state lines to obtain an abortion without parental consent. I'm pleased to join Senator Moody in introducing this commonsense legislation in the Senate to keep children safe and hold adults who seek to exploit them accountable," said Fischer.

Rep. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio) introduced the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"No one should be sneaking children across state lines to receive secret abortions behind the backs of that child's parents. This bill will hold all parties accountable and ensure children are not taken advantage of. As states like California and Illinois promote abortions for all and keep parents in the dark about their child's health, the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act will put parents back in the equation and protect the lives of both the child and the unborn," said Taylor.

March for Life Action, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, National Right to Life, Students for Life Action, the National Prolife Religious Council and Americans United for Life support the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act.

The legislation provides exceptions in life-endangering cases and establishes that parents and minors may not be prosecuted or sued under the bill.

Kennedy previously joined then-Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in introducing the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act in 2023.

View the full bill text here.