FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 5 2008 
Contact: Ana Sandoval, 916.446.5247

Planned Parenthood and Allies Defeat Parental Notification for a Third Time

Call on backers to stop wasting voters' time and money!

Statement by Kathy Kneer, President and CEO Planned Parenthood Affiliates of CA

Tonight, for the third time, California voters rejected a serious threat to teen safety by defeating Prop 4. Planned Parenthood – and coalition partners including the California Teachers Association, the California Medical and Nurses Associations, the ACLU, School Counselors and thousands of parents -- are gratified that California voters once again voted to protect the health and safety of our teenagers. California is a pro-choice state and voters saw through this deceptive initiative and its backers whose real agenda is to outlaw all abortions and overturn Roe v. Wade. This vote guarantees that all teens, no matter what their circumstance, will be able to access professional medical care and counseling without delays.

The real answer to teen pregnancy is family communication and comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education including abstinence. California has been recognized as a national leader in reducing teen pregnancy rates through education and information. We must all work to continue that trend.

This campaign, the third in four years, has been a very tough fight – and we are very grateful for all the help we received from  (fill in local partners here).

While the proponents of these initiatives keep putting them on the ballot, we keep beating them. We call on Don Sebastiani and Jim Holman – the multi-millionaire backers of all three of these failed initiatives – to stop wasting the time and money of California voters.  This should be three strikes and you're out.  No more wasteful and dangerous initiatives that divert precious resources that would be better spent on education and prevention.

Their agenda is clear: they remain opposed to abortion for any woman at any age and under any circumstance and they even oppose sex education and contraception. Their goal is to close the doors of Planned Parenthood health centers. 

California is a pro-choice state. The reproductive rights movement in California continues to build strength with every campaign we mount to defeat these dangerous initiatives. We will take the strength and energy we've built to continue our important health, education and advocacy work in California, and we will  redouble our efforts to protect the health and reproductive rights of women, men and teens throughout California and the country.

###