(LEX 18) — Anti-abortion lawmakers in Kentucky hope to pass a "pro-life omnibus bill" in 2022. It's one bill that tackles several different abortion-related topics.
The bill itself has not been released to the public yet. However, Representative Nancy Tate introduced some of the aspects of the bill during Wednesday's Interim Joint Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection meeting.
According to Tate's presentation, the bill would:
- tighten restrictions on parental consent for minors seeking a legal abortion
- add a series of oversight measures to track the distribution of pills used for chemical abortions
- strengthen the protocol for disposing of fetal remains after an abortion
- tighten regulations to stop public funds from being used by institutions that perform, induce, refer, or counsel for abortions
- create regulations for medical institutions to report complications or deaths in abortion procedures
- prohibit discrimination against medical providers who decline to perform procedures that violate their conscience
LEX 18 asked Tate to explain the overall goal of her bill.
She said the measure prioritizes health and safety.
"We want to make sure that as the state of Kentucky - as the Commonwealth of Kentucky - we continue to protect the life of the mother and the baby in these medical procedures," said Tate.
"The baby's life is important too," she added. "This is a procedure where 50% of the patients actually die because, to me, the baby is a patient as well."
Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates believe the bill's intentions are to make legal abortions more difficult.
"This bill is aiming to restrict access to abortion even further than we have already faced in Kentucky," said Tamarra Wieder with Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky. "It is just further introducing hurdles, making it harder for people to access care - especially harder for those who are most vulnerable."
"The baby's life is important too," she added. "This is a procedure where 50% of the patients actually die because, to me, the baby is a patient as well."
Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates believe the bill's intentions are to make legal abortions more difficult.
"This bill is aiming to restrict access to abortion even further than we have already faced in Kentucky," said Tamarra Wieder with Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky. "It is just further introducing hurdles, making it harder for people to access care - especially harder for those who are most vulnerable."
For example, the bill would require doctors performing abortions to obtain explicit parental consent. If not, they would be subject to disciplinary action by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure. Doctors could also face charges. If a doctor knowingly performs an abortion on a minor without parental consent, Tate says they will be guilty of a Class D felony. If the doctor doesn't know the patient is a minor, they would be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
Tate says this is to ensure that teenagers fully understand their decisions to get abortions.
“It is very important for us to make sure that these children have parental consent before they [make] such a life-altering medical decision,” said Tate.
However, Wieder pointed out that parental consent for minors seeking an abortion is already heavily regulated. She also pointed out other inaccuracies in the bill, like the bill stating that chemical abortion drugs are available at home in Kentucky. She explained that chemical abortions are required to be supervised by a doctor in Kentucky.
She believes the inaccuracies are meant to fearmonger.
"It's continuing to chip away at the very little access that remains," said Weider. "It's continuing to promulgate lies and stereotypes about abortion and the types of abortion that are available in the commonwealth. It creates a system of shame and fear."
