This document notes that many states have passed, or are considering, laws that would mandate parental consent for, or notification of, a young woman's decision to obtain an abortion. Constructed in a question-and-answer format, the document then examines a number of issues concerned with such mandated parental involvement. It examines who is affected by consent and notification laws; the difference between mandated parental consent and parental notification; relevant federal legislation; which states require parental consent or notification; and the laws concerning parental involvement in obtaining contraception or reproductive health care. It also considers whether adolescents are able to make reasoned decisions about abortion, whether young women tell their parents about crisis pregnancies and their desire to have an abortion, and whether more young women talk to their parents because of mandatory parental involvement laws. The next section of the document concerns judicial bypass, a procedure by which young women may obtain a waiver of the parental involvement requirement in a confidential and expeditious manner. Judicial bypass and alternatives to the judicial bypass procedure are explained. The final two sections of the document look at the impact of mandatory parental involvement laws and the Supreme Court and parental consent and notification. Sidebars contain sketches of pregnant adolescents and how they handled their pregnancies. A state-by-state chart provides parental consent and notification law information by state. (NB)