Nevada’s “parental consent” abortion law will go into effect April 30, putting vulnerable minors at greater risk

A law that has been on hold for 40 years—one that requires parents or guardians to be notified before a minor receives an abortion—will soon be enforceable in Nevada.

US District Court Judge Ann Traum ruled on March 31 that the law will be enforceable starting April 30. Planned Parenthood Mar Monte—the largest Planned Parenthood affiliate in the nation—has filed a motion to stay the judge’s decision, asking for a pause on the April 30 implementation of the law.

Andrew Adams, Chief of Staff and Head of Strategic Communications at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, told The Nevadan that the law is vague and leaves abortion providers across Nevada without necessary guidance about how to comply.

“If physicians don’t fully comply with the vague law, they risk criminal charges that could jeopardize their medical licenses,” Adams said.

He added that the law is an insult to young people, who are capable of making informed decisions about their reproductive health.

“It is insulting that this law questions the capability of a young person’s maturity and intelligence to make decisions about their own body, life, and future when this statute—found unconstitutional for 40 years—can force minors to become parents.”

Adams said the majority of young people bring a parent or trusted adult to their appointments at Planned Parenthood clinics.

“Young people who choose not to do so have valid reasons for not telling their parents,” he said. “Which may include fear of abuse or the loss of their home and financial support, having an incarcerated parent, or being in the foster care system.”

READ MORE: Nevada’s abortion protections provide a safe haven for women from other states

“Research shows that young people who would choose not to involve their parents are the patients most likely to suffer negative and harmful consequences—such as fear of physical or emotional abuse, loss of financial support or homelessness, fear of being forced to have a child against their will, or other serious family problems.”

Under the parental notification law, physicians must notify a custodial parent or guardian at least 48 hours before performing an abortion on any unmarried, unemancipated minor unless certain exceptions apply.

Notification is not required if the physician determines the abortion is immediately necessary to preserve the minor’s life or health, or if the minor petitions a court to waive the notification requirement, and the court grants a judicial bypass.

“Judicial bypass laws force already-vulnerable young people to interact with the judicial system, often with harmful effects on their lives and health,” Adams said. “Many young people face significant logistical hurdles navigating the judicial bypass process, such as arranging for time away from school or home without raising suspicion and traveling to and from the courthouse.”

He added that judicial bypass processes can delay care by days or even weeks, are fraught with trauma and stigma, and may put the young person at risk of having their pregnancy revealed to an abuser.

With the 1985 law deemed unconstitutional for the past 40 years, there is currently no judicial bypass process in place in Nevada, leading some experts to question whether the April 30 start date is realistic at an implementation level.

“The court system in Nevada is not prepared for the judicial bypass option,” Adams said. “In Planned Parenthood Mar Monte’s conversations with court staff and judges, they are at a loss as to how to implement the judicial bypass, because it has never existed in the state.”

“This lack of institutional procedure and support jeopardizes young people’s health.”

The Nevadan has reached out to court officials in Nevada for comment, but had not received a response at the time of publication. We will update this story as it develops.

The 1985 law was blocked soon after being enacted, after Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit arguing that it conflicted with Roe v. Wade, the 1973 US Supreme Court decision that guaranteed the federal right to an abortion.

The US Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in 2022 reversed Roe, and district attorneys in Nevada, with support from the anti-abortion group Nevada Right to Life, quickly sought to reinstate the 1985 law.

Organizations that support reproductive rights in Nevada say they’re still grappling with the news of the lifted injunction.

“We were definitely pretty surprised, we had no idea that this [law] was going to come back,” said Macy Haverda, executive director for Wild West Access Fund of Nevada, an organization that provides financial resources for women seeking assistance for abortion care.

People of any age are able to request assistance from Wild West Access Fund of Nevada, but Haverda said she believes it’s unlikely that an organization like theirs would be subject to litigation under the new law.

“We try not to capture too much information from clients…just to make sure that we have the least amount of info on them should anything happen,” Haverda said.

In 2024, Nevadans overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure to protect abortion rights for all residents through an amendment in the state constitution. However, due to the ballot measure process in Nevada, that same measure needs to be approved a second time to go into effect. That election will happen in November 2026.

In the meantime, abortion providers and supporters will have to contend with ongoing litigation as the nation deals with the fallout from the Dobbs decision—including Nevada’s parental consent law.

Adams said the law does more harm than good.

“Young people should have power and control over their own bodies, including if and when they become pregnant,” he said. “Ultimately, we should ensure that a young person’s decision to become a parent rests with the young person themselves.”

RELATED: Nevada voters pass abortion rights amendment, must approve it again in 2026 for it to take effect