Kentucky lawmakers override governor’s veto of abortion ban

Apr 13, 2022, 1:50 AM | Updated: 5:05 pm
Abortion-rights supporters chant their objections at the Kentucky Capitol on Wednesday, April 13, 2...

Abortion-rights supporters chant their objections at the Kentucky Capitol on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Frankfort, Ky., as Kentucky lawmakers debate overriding the governor’s veto of an abortion measure. The bill would put new restrictions on abortion, including banning the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy. (AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner)

(AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — New abortion restrictions passed by Republican lawmakers over the Democratic governor’s veto will force the only two abortion clinics in Kentucky to stop providing the procedures for women, at least temporarily, while the new law is challenged in court, abortion-rights activists said Wednesday.

The law will draw immediate federal lawsuits, and attorneys for the clinics will seek a ruling to block the measure to allow the clinics to resume abortions while the case is litigated, the activists said. The two abortion clinics in Kentucky are in Louisville, the state’s largest city.

Immediately after the GOP-led legislature finished overriding Gov. Andy Beshear’s vetoes, the activists said the clinics will be unable to comply with the new restrictions because the state hasn’t set up a now-mandated regulatory process. The measure takes effect immediately.

“Because the law is impossible to comply with, it amounts to a de facto abortion ban, thus violating patients’ federal right to abortion under Roe v. Wade,” abortion-rights groups said in a news release.

Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union will file suit challenging the measure, the release said.

The chants of abortion-rights supporters echoed through Kentucky’s Capitol as the legislature swept aside the governor’s veto. The bill calls for regulating the dispensing of abortion pills, but the state hasn’t yet set up the registration process, the groups said. It would require women to be examined in person by a doctor before receiving the medication.

That section of the bill is part of a nationwide push by anti-abortion groups to limit the ability of physicians to prescribe abortion pills by telemedicine, and comes in response to the increased use of pills rather than surgery to terminate early pregnancies.

About half of all abortions performed in Kentucky are the result of medication procedures.

The measure also requires new reporting requirements that violate patient privacy, the abortion-rights groups said.

Another key part of the bill bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Kentucky law currently bans abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

The proposed 15-week ban is modeled after a Mississippi law the Supreme Court is considering in a case that could dramatically limit abortion rights. By taking the preemptive action, the bill’s supporters say Kentucky’s stricter ban would be in place if the Mississippi law is upheld.

About two dozen abortion-rights supporters chanted “bans off our bodies” at the bottom of the stairs leading to the Kentucky House chamber earlier Wednesday as the lawmakers debated the abortion measure. Lawmakers on both sides of the debate mentioned the demonstrators, whose voices could be heard in the chamber as the emotional debate continued.

“It absolutely makes me sick to have to listen to what’s going on out there,” Republican Rep. Norma Kirk-McCormick said.

The House overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto on a 76-21 vote. That sent the measure to the Senate for the final vote. Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers. The demonstrators moved to the other side of the Capitol Wednesday evening and chanted as the Senate debated the measure. The Senate overrode the veto on a 31-6 vote.

Opponents also condemned the bill for failing to exclude pregnancies caused by rape or incest.

“Those are violent crimes,” Democratic Rep. Rachel Roberts said. “This bill forces those women to be violated again.”

In pushing for the override, Kirk-McCormick said: “The abortion of a baby is plain wrong. And I pray that God would have mercy on anyone that would take the life of a child. There’s no mercy for that baby in abortion.”

The strict limits on abortion weren’t the only social issues legislation taken up by Republican lawmakers during the frenzied veto session. They also used their lopsided majorities to finish overriding a Beshear veto of their effort to ban transgender athletes from participating in sports. The override votes won by wide margins in both chambers over the objections of opponents.

“This bill is discrimination in search of children,” Democratic Rep. Josie Raymond said.

The measure would bar transgender girls and women from playing on sports teams matching their gender identity from sixth grade through college. Supporters say it would ensure girls and women compete against other “biological females.”

“The athlete wants a fair playing field,” Republican Sen. Donald Douglas said. “They don’t care about all this other social stuff.”

Republican-led states increasingly have adopted such prohibitions on transgender girls or women, though the culture war-related bans have been challenged in several states as violations of federal law. Opponents of the Kentucky measure predicted the measure also will end up in court.

“The fight won’t stop here,” said Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

FILE - In this July 3, 2014, file photo, the Microsoft Corp. logo is displayed outside the Microsof...
Associated Press

Microsoft adds AI tools to Office apps like Outlook, Word

Microsoft is infusing artificial intelligence tools into its Office software, including Word, Excel and Outlook emails.
3 days ago
FILE - This photo provided by the Alaska Volcano Observatory/U.S. Geological Survey shows the Tanag...
Associated Press

Alaska volcanoes now pose lower threat, after quakes slow

Diminished earthquake activity led authorities Thursday to reduce the warning levels at two volcanoes on an uninhabited island in Alaska’s Aleutian chain because of the decreased potential for eruptions.
3 days ago
A television screen displaying financial news is seen inside one of First Republic Bank's branches ...
Associated Press

Big banks create $30B rescue package for First Republic

NEW YORK (AP) — Eleven of the biggest U.S. banks Thursday announced a $30 billion rescue package for First Republic Bank in an effort to prevent it from becoming the third to fail in less than a week and head off a broader banking crisis. San Francisco-based First Republic serves a similar clientele as Signature […]
4 days ago
A pedestrian carries an umbrella while walking past a Silicon Valley Bank Private branch in San Fra...
Associated Press

Experts, banks look for ideas to stop next bank failure

The warning signs were all there. Silicon Valley Bank was expanding at a breakneck pace and pursuing wildly risky investments in the bond market. The vast majority of its deposits were uninsured by the federal government, leaving its customers exposed to a crisis.
4 days ago
FILE - Text from the ChatGPT page of the OpenAI website is shown in this photo, in New York, Feb. 2...
Associated Press

What can ChatGPT maker’s new AI model GPT-4 do?

The company behind the ChatGPT chatbot has rolled out its latest artificial intelligence model, GPT-4, in the next step for a technology that’s caught the world's attention.
4 days ago
Lumber is stored in the yard at East Coast Lumber, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, in Hampstead, N.H. On We...
Christopher Rugaber, Associated Press

US wholesale inflation fell last month on lower food costs

Wholesale price increases in the United States slowed sharply last month as food and energy costs declined, a sign that inflationary pressures may be easing.
5 days ago

Sponsored Articles

SHIBA volunteer...

Volunteer to help people understand their Medicare options!

If you’re retired or getting ready to retire and looking for new ways to stay active, becoming a SHIBA volunteer could be for you!
safety from crime...

As crime increases, our safety measures must too

It's easy to be accused of fearmongering regarding crime, but Seattle residents might have good reason to be concerned for their safety.
Comcast Ready for Business Fund...
Ilona Lohrey | President and CEO, GSBA

GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund

GSBA, Comcast, and other partners are working to address disparities in access to financial resources with the Ready for Business fund.
SHIBA WA...

Medicare open enrollment is here and SHIBA can help!

The SHIBA program – part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner – is ready to help with your Medicare open enrollment decisions.
Lake Washington Windows...

Choosing Best Windows for Your Home

Lake Washington Windows and Doors is a local window dealer offering the exclusive Leak Armor installation.
Anacortes Christmas Tree...

Come one, come all! Food, Drink, and Coastal Christmas – Anacortes has it all!

Come celebrate Anacortes’ 11th annual Bier on the Pier! Bier on the Pier takes place on October 7th and 8th and features local ciders, food trucks and live music - not to mention the beautiful views of the Guemes Channel and backdrop of downtown Anacortes.
Kentucky lawmakers override governor’s veto of abortion ban