FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) – Pro-life and pro-choice advocates made their opinions known at the state capitol about four separate abortion bills including Senate Bill 9, also known as “the Heartbeat Bill.”
SB 9 proposes that abortion be banned once doctors find a fetal heartbeat or around six weeks into the pregnancy.
Pro-choice groups say that the bill is essentially a complete ban on abortion in Kentucky because they believe most women don’t even know they’re pregnant at six weeks.
At a press conference today, pro-choice advocates demanded lawmakers stop this bill, saying it goes against Roe V Wade. Activists worry that this is part of a national strategy to get the Supreme Court to take up abortion once more.
Pro-Life advocates also spoke out about the bill with Governor Matt Bevin showing up to support them.
“The Kentucky General Assembly has already enacted a statute that reads, currently, in the Commonwealth, there is inadequate legislation to protect the life, health and welfare of pregnant women and unborn human life,” Rep. Tim Moore, Chair of the Pro-Life Caucus, said. “The Pro-Life Caucus was formed in 2018 to allow like-minded legislators to promote policies and legislation to protect pregnant women and unborn children alike. The bills we will be strongly supporting this year will extend that protection and reflect our values as people committed to life.”
Now talking about Senate Bill 9- the bill that would ban abortion once fetal heartbeat is detected (which is around 6 weeks).@LEX18News pic.twitter.com/nP2fAc2n99
— Karolina Buczek (@Karolina_Buczek) January 10, 2019
Tamarra Wieder of Planned Parenthood says “we must stop the bans.”
She says Bevin’s administration is attacking Roe v. Wade.@LEX18News pic.twitter.com/qIOOcUw8GR
— Karolina Buczek (@Karolina_Buczek) January 10, 2019