Texas parental notification law set to take effect News
Texas parental notification law set to take effect

[JURIST] A Texas law requiring doctors to get parental consent [JURIST report] for minors seeking abortions will take effect Thursday [KXAN Austin report] even though the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners [official website] hasn't finalized the specifics of how doctors should comply with it. The Texas Parental Consent Act [text] is one of many abortion laws that have been passed by state legislatures this term – indeed, the number of state laws restricting access to abortion is at its highest since 1999, when bans on late-term abortions took effect in several states. Several other states have also enacted parental consent requirements and three states have mandated abortion-providers to inform women that the fetus will feel pain during the procedure, despite inconclusive medical evidence and differing expert opinions on the matter. Anti-abortion activists have said they are also pushing lower courts to ban abortions in order to pressure the US Supreme Court [official website] to consider overruling the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade [opinion] decision. For example, South Dakota has developed a controversial "trigger" law that will immediately make abortions illegal in the state in the event that Roe v. Wade is overturned. The Washington Post has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.