§ 63-1-740.2. Consent of parent - Requirements - Exceptions - Forms.  


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  • A.  Except in the case of a medical emergency, a physician may not perform an abortion on a pregnant female unless the physician has:

    1.  Obtained proof of age demonstrating that the female is not a minor;

    2.  Obtained proof that the female, although a minor, is emancipated; or

    3.  Complied with Section 1-740.3 of this title.

    B.  No abortion shall be performed upon an unemancipated minor or upon a female for whom a guardian has been appointed pursuant to Section 1-113 of Title 30 of the Oklahoma Statutes because of a finding of incompetency, except in a medical emergency or where a judicial waiver was obtained pursuant to Section 1-740.3 of this title, until at least forty-eight (48) hours after the request for written informed consent for the pending abortion has been delivered in the manner specified in this subsection and the attending physician has secured proof of identification and the written informed consent of one parent.

    1.  The request for written informed consent of one parent shall be addressed to the parent at the usual place of abode of the parent and delivered personally to the parent by the physician or an agent.

    2.  In lieu of the delivery required by paragraph 1 of this subsection, the request for written informed consent of one parent shall be made by certified mail addressed to the parent at the usual place of abode of the parent with return-receipt requested and restricted delivery to the addressee, which means a postal employee can only deliver the mail to the authorized addressee.  Time of delivery shall be deemed to occur at 12 noon on the third day on which regular mail delivery takes place, subsequent to mailing.  The information concerning the address of the parent shall be that which a reasonable and prudent person, under similar circumstances, would have relied upon as sufficient evidence that the parent resides at that address.

    3.a.              The parent who provides consent shall provide to the physician a copy of a government-issued proof of identification and written documentation that establishes that he or she is the lawful parent of the pregnant female.  The parent shall certify in a signed, dated, notarized statement, initialed on each page, that he or she consents to the abortion.  The signed, dated, and notarized statement shall include:  "I certify that I, (insert name of parent), am the parent of (insert name of minor daughter) and give consent for (insert name of physician) to perform an abortion on my daughter.  I understand that any person who knowingly makes a fraudulent statement in this regard commits a felony."

    b.The physician shall keep a copy of the proof of identification of the parent and the certified statement in the medical file of the minor for five (5) years past the majority of the minor, but in no event less than seven (7) years.

    c.A physician receiving parental consent under this section shall execute for inclusion in the medical record of the minor an affidavit stating:  "I, (insert name of physician), certify that according to my best information and belief, a reasonable person under similar circumstances would rely on the information presented by both the minor and her parent as sufficient evidence of identity."

    C.  No request for written informed consent of one parent shall be required under this section if the attending physician certifies in the medical records of the pregnant unemancipated minor that a medical emergency exists; provided, however, that the attending physician or an agent shall, within twenty-four (24) hours after completion of the abortion, notify one of the parents of the minor in the manner provided in this section that an emergency abortion was performed on the minor and of the circumstances that warranted invocation of this subsection.

    D.  The attending physician, or the agent of the physician, shall verbally inform the parent of the minor within twenty-four (24) hours after the performance of a medical emergency abortion or an abortion that was performed to prevent her death that an abortion was performed on the unemancipated minor.  The attending physician, or the agent of the attending physician, shall also inform the parent of the basis for the certification of the physician required under subsection C of this section.  The attending physician, or the agent of the attending physician, shall also send a written notice of the performed abortion via the United States Post Office to the last-known address of the parent, restricted delivery, return receipt requested.  The information concerning the address of the parent shall be that which a reasonable and prudent person, under similar circumstances, would have relied upon as sufficient evidence that the parent resides at that address.

    E.  The State Board of Health shall adopt the forms necessary for physicians to obtain the certifications required by this section.

Added by Laws 2005, c. 200, § 12, emerg. eff. May 20, 2005.  Amended by Laws 2006, c. 185, § 18, eff. Nov. 1, 2006; Laws 2007, c. 161, § 6, eff. Nov. 1, 2007; Laws 2009, c. 234, § 152, emerg. eff. May 21, 2009; Laws 2013, c. 268, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2013; Laws 2013, c. 320, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2013.