The debate over Proposition 85 is fundamentally a struggle between Planned Parenthood and parents in determining who knows what’s best for our daughters.

Contact: Karen England, Executive Director, Capitol Resource Institute, 916-498-1940, 916-212-5607 cell, kengland@capitolresource.org

SACRAMENTO, Oct. 27 /Standard Newswire/ -- “When you cut through all the political rhetoric, Proposition 85 addresses one key issue: parents should be in charge of their children’s healthcare. The suggestion that some strangers at Planned Parenthood know better than parents how to care for our children is ludicrous,” stated Karen England, Executive Director of Capitol Resource Institute.

In an article about Proposition 85 published today by the San Francisco Chronicle, 17-year-old Madrianne Wong stated that "It feels like this law is focusing on teenagers, yet we are the ones who aren't allowed to vote. It's older people dictating what is happening in our lives." Proposition 85’s purpose is to ensure that the “older people” are the girl’s parents, who love and care for her versus those who have a financial interest in ending a pregnancy.

Chrissie Ng, 17, stated that if she were a parent, she would want to know if her daughter was getting an abortion. "But being a young woman, if something happened and you don't want your parents to know, it's your right not to tell them."

“Where do we draw the line in ‘minor’s rights’? Do our children have the right not to tell their parents when they get an ‘F’ on a school paper? Parents must be informed of their children’s activities so that they can parent effectively. Of course kids who mess up want to hide it from their parents. But in order to be a good parent, it means that you must be involved. The argument that young people shouldn’t have to tell their parents about getting a major surgical procedure is absurd.”

“The question that every voter needs to ask themselves is who really cares about our daughters: Planned Parenthood, who benefits financially from keeping parents out of the process, or parents, who genuinely want the best for their children,” stated England. “Planned Parenthood wants to keep parents out of their daughter’s decision because they believe that they know better than parents how to raise our children. As the mother of a teenage daughter, I am outraged that Planned Parenthood believes that they know what’s best for my daughter.”

Karen England is available for media interviews regarding Proposition 85, (916) 212-5607.

To read CRI’s complete analysis of Proposition 85, as well as the other ballot initiatives, visit www.CapitolResource.org.   

CRI strives to support family-friendly policies throughout California's communities and the state Legislature.