A Florida bill proposes that teens should get parental consent before they can gain access to contraception or STI testing services.
However, survivors of childhood sexual assault are overwhelmingly against the proposal, saying it would cause unintended teen pregnancies. They also argued that the bill could prevent or delay minors from receiving the medical care that they need.
Teen Access to Contraception in Florida
A University of Florida student, 20-year-old Anna Jones, said that her parents were safe, present, and good parents. She then shared that she was raped at 16 years old by a close friend and she was not comfortable sharing what happened to them.
The proposed bill, entitled "Parental Rights" (SB1288), was crafted by Sen. Erin Grall. During a read of the bill in a Senate Education Pre-K-12 committee on Tuesday, it was found that the proposal would nullify an existing state law that allows physicians to prescribe birth control or STI treatment.
This is a decision that can be made if the physician believes that the minor would "suffer probable health hazards if such services are not provided." Grall said that the bill would not expand parents' rights but instead take them back, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
The senator said that the situation has always been all about the systems that devalue parents' role in safeguarding their children from abuse. She noted that they are the first people whose priority is their kids' safety.
However, many Florida residents spoke out about their experiences of abuse one after the other at a lectern in the Knott Building at the state Capitol. Some of those who spoke include parents, who argued that the proposed bill would only put more children at risk.
State Laws on Sex Education
Grall's bill comes as the state last year told school districts that they could no longer teach teenagers about contraception, show them images that depict human reproductive anatomy, or talk about topics such as sexual consent and domestic violence, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
The argument for this was that instruction on these particular topics is perceived as inappropriate for adolescents and teenagers. It came as Florida law did not require the instruction of kids regarding sexual education, but schools are allowed to teach it if they wish to do so.
However, schools are mandated to emphasize the "benefits of sexual abstinence as the expected standard and the consequences of teenage pregnancy" in grades six through 12. Before they can teach the topics, districts need to submit their proposed lesson plans for review or make use of state-approved textbooks, as per Jezebel.
