California IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : Abortion Ruling Deadline Extended

The state Supreme Court has extended its deadline to July 3 for reconsidering its ruling on parental consent for minors’ abortions, a vote in which the court’s newest members apparently will take part. The court voted 4-3 on April 4 to uphold the never-enforced law, which would require an unmarried woman under 18 to get consent from a parent or a judge for an abortion. The ruling was scheduled to become final May 4, but Monday the justices exercised their authority to extend the deadline 60 days. Abortion rights groups asked the court Friday to reconsider and reverse its ruling. Such requests are usually denied, but reconsideration has been granted at times in the past when the court’s membership has changed before a ruling has become final. Two members of the majority in the case, Chief Justice Malcolm Lucas and Justice Armand Arabian, will have departed by July 3. Arabian has retired and has been replaced by Justice Ming Chin, who says he supports a woman’s right to decide whether to have an abortion but has not discussed minors’ rights. Lucas retires May 1. Gov. Pete Wilson has nominated Justice Ronald George to succeed him and has named Justice Janice Rogers Brown of the state appeals court in Sacramento to replace George. The confirmation hearing for Brown is May 2.