AUGUSTA — Planned Parenthood advocates charged Wednesday that the Maine Senate has opened the door for requiring parental consent for minors to receive birth control, and of reigniting last fall’s Portland King Middle School controversy.

A Senate Republican leader countered that the 29-5 vote was not on whether birth-control prescriptions should require parental consent, but whether the debate should take place.

Meanwhile Sen. Douglas Smith, R-Dover Foxcroft, said he’s looking for a way to have his rejected proposal of requiring parental consent for birth-control prescriptions to be heard.

Last fall, King Middle School found itself the subject of a national debate after the Portland School Committee voted to allow the school health clinic to dispense birth-control prescriptions to students.

That made the school among the first in the nation to offer a full range of contraception. State law allows students who have parental permission to use the health clinic to receive confidential care.

Tuesday’s Senate vote was “nothing more than a political stunt to reopen this whole hysteria created last fall,” said Kate Brogan of Family Planning Association of Maine.

If barriers are created for teens getting birth control they need, they won’t get birth control, Brogan said. Teens who come from abusive homes or those who have bad relationships with parents won’t get permission, and would go without. The result of having a bad relationship with parents “should not be to get pregnant,” Brogan said.

Before health officials write birth-control prescriptions for students, they take time to understand the situation, Brogan insisted. “All medical professionals do everything they can to keep the parent involved.” In cases where there’s a bad relationship, that’s not possible.

Chris Quint of Planned Parenthood complained that Smith introduced his bill after deadline, and that the Legislative Council rejected his request to introduce it.

“Our concern is the way this was brought about. He is bringing this back to force people on record in an election year,” Quint said. Smith has “accepted politics over what’s best for teens’ health.”

But Assistant Republican Leader Richard Rosen said the vote was only to allow the debate.

The intent is to allow a bill to be introduced so the Health and Human Services Committee has the opportunity to hold a public hearing, “and hear input from the many, many citizens who have come forward,” Rosen said.

Rosen said lawmakers, himself included, have heard from those who want parental consent “when it comes to medications dispensed to children under 14.” Many are “alarmed that they would be denied knowledge” of their children receiving prescriptions, Rosen said.

State lawmakers allow bills to be heard “when people have concerns over poker games and truck axles,” Rosen said. “This is no different.”

Smith said he was late submitting his bill because the King Middle School controversy erupted after the bill deadline. He asked the Legislative Council to admit it, and that was rejected on party lines, Smith said.

The House now has to vote on whether the parental-consent proposal will go forward.