9:17A-1.3. Definitions relative to parental notification for abortion

4. As used in this act:

"Abortion" means the use of any means to terminate the pregnancy of a female known to be pregnant with knowledge that the termination with those means will, with reasonable likelihood, cause the death of the fetus.

"Medical emergency" means a condition which, on the basis of the physician's good faith clinical judgment, so complicates the medical condition of a pregnant unemancipated minor as to necessitate the immediate abortion of her pregnancy to avert her death or for which a delay will create serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.

"Parent" means a parent with care and control of the unemancipated minor, unless the parent has no custodial rights; or if there is no parent with care and control, then the foster parent or the guardian of the unemancipated minor; or a person standing in loco parentis to the unemancipated minor.

"Person standing in loco parentis" means (1) that the biological or adoptive parent consented to and fostered, the person's formation and establishment of a parent-like relationship with the minor; (2) that the person and the minor live together in the same household; (3) that the person assumed obligations of parenthood by taking significant responsibility for the minor's care, education and development, including contributing towards the minor's support, without expectation of financial compensation; and (4) that the person has been in a parental role for a length of time sufficient to have established with the minor a bonded, dependent relationship parental in nature.

"Unemancipated minor" means a female under the age of 18 years who is unmarried and is not currently serving active duty in one of the military services of the United States of America or a female for whom a guardian has been appointed pursuant to N.J.S.3B:12-25 because of a finding of incompetency. For the purposes of this act, pregnancy does not emancipate a female under the age of 18 years.

L.1999,c.145,s.4.