Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a state law requiring parental notification before a minor can obtain an abortion,

The move comes after a Montana Supreme Court decision in August 2024 that struck down parental involvement laws. The appeal, filed in response to a lawsuit by Planned Parenthood, has garnered support from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, and over 40 pro-life and pro-family leaders.

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The effort to revive the law, which originated with a 2012 referendum approved by more than 70% of Montana voters, intensified this week with an amicus brief filed by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, its research arm, Advancing American Freedom, and the Montana Family Foundation. The brief argues that parental consent is critical to protect minors from coercion and the lasting consequences of abortion.

“A girl or woman who has an abortion is not in the same position as if she had never been pregnant,” the brief states. “Because minors lack life experience and context, they are especially likely to give in to suggestions or pressure from others, including the child’s father, that abortion is the best option.”

In 2013, then-Gov. Steve Bullock allowed House Bill 391, which required parental consent for minors’ abortions, to take effect. Planned Parenthood swiftly challenged the measure, initiating a legal battle that has spanned more than a decade.

The Montana Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling on behalf of Planned Parenthood invalidated the state’s parental involvement laws, prompting Knudsen’s appeal to the nation’s highest court.

Katie Daniel, legal affairs director for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, condemned the state court’s decision in comments to LifeNews.

“In the state of Montana, girls who aren’t old enough to get their ears pierced on their own can now get an abortion without mom or dad ever knowing,” Daniel said. “This is far too extreme for the people of Montana. We stand with Attorney General Knudsen as he fights for the rights of parents and the safety of their children.”

The amicus brief highlights broader concerns, accusing Planned Parenthood of pursuing a “national roadmap” to eliminate parental involvement laws and other abortion regulations across the U.S. It cites similar legal battles in Alaska and Indiana and warns that such efforts enable abusive situations and late-term abortions for minors.

Montana’s case comes amid a national push by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and over 150 pro-life groups to defund Planned Parenthood, which receives $700 million in taxpayer funding annually and does nearly 400,000 abortions each year. Last week, more than 350 citizen lobbyists met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to advocate for defunding abortion providers through budget reconciliation.

Knudsen’s appeal to the Supreme Court underscores a growing divide over parental rights and abortion access, with Montana at the center of a debate that could set a precedent for other states.

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