Contact: Mike Byrne, Friends of Sarah, 866-828-8355

SAN DIEGO, May 23 /Standard Newswire/ -- Within the next week to ten days the Secretary of State should officially declare Sarah's Law qualified for the Nov. 08 ballot.

(Sarah's Law will require a doctor to notify one family member before performing an abortion on an under-18-year-old girl.)

This past week, volunteers have emailed and faxed California newspaper editors and reporters the following two letters:

How to spot unsupported claims in the parental notification debate

In a letter to all California newspapers, Catherine Short, one of the authors of Sarah's Law, lists seven unsupported claims repeated in editorials and news stories during the fights over Proposition 73 in 2005 and Proposition 85 in 2006 concerning:

- The teen pregnancy rate dropping
- Girls already telling their parents about abortion decision
- Teens consulting another trusted adult
- Girls having good reason not to tell parents
- Parental involvement laws causing delayed abortions
- Girls seeking illegal abortions or being beaten by parents
- Teen birth rate increasing

The letter is accompanied by supporting documents - a Guttmacher Institute study and an article from Family Planning Perspectives. Click here to read the Unsupported Claims letter.

Insanity

In a subsequent email to California newspapers and editors, Sarah's Law staffers explain the difference between Sarah's Law and Propositions 73 and 85.

The letter begins:
"Insanity is doing the same thing in the same way, expecting a different result." - Chinese Proverb
The proponents of Sarah's Law, a new family member notification initiative that will appear on the November ballot, are not insane... Click here to read the Insanity letter.

Friends of Sarah
1703 India St., San Diego CA 92101
(866) 828-8355
www.FriendsofSarah.com