WASHINGTON, DC – Minutes ago, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
This means that each state will once again have the authority to decide its own abortion laws, as was the case for the first 185 years after the U.S. Constitution was adopted. Once again, citizens will be entrusted with the opportunity to save lives. For information on what the current law is in Kentucky and what will now happen as a result of this decision, please visit www.AfterRoe.com/Kentucky.
Statement from David Walls, Executive Director of The Family Foundation:
“This is a historic and momentous day for human dignity and the rule of law in America. Roe v. Wade was egregiously wrong, poorly reasoned, and patently unjust—it’s reversal means that Kentucky will once again be able to protect living preborn children, enact commonsense medical safeguards for women, and better ensure the integrity of the medical profession.
“As we reflect on the work of the last 49 years and the more than 62 millions babies lost, we are grateful for the work of all those who have boldly stood for life in the womb, from churches and pregnancy resource centers to the legislature and courts of law.
“But this is only the beginning. Kentucky must pass the Yes for Life Constitutional Amendment on November 8, 2022 to ensure that no state court can ever repeat the injustice of Roe v. Wade and invent a state constitutional right to abortion or abortion funding.
“Today is a new day in Kentucky and the nation. But, this freedom to protect life comes with a great responsibility. There is more work to be done and Kentuckians—through pregnancy help centers, their local churches, and as individuals—can, and must, lead in forging a culture of life in America,” Walls concluded.
Background and Additional Information
What Will Happen in Kentucky
- Kentucky will ban nearly all abortions, both chemical and surgical, after Roe. It has passed a “trigger law” that bans abortions in nearly all circumstances once Roe is overturned. KY ST § 311.772.
- Kentucky also has a ban after a heartbeat is detectable, but the law is enjoined while a lawsuit proceeds. Kentucky would have to work to get the injunction relieved after Roe is overturned. KY ST § 311.7704, 7705, .7706.
- A network of approximately 50 pregnancy help centers exist throughout the Commonwealth and stand ready to provide support and assistance to families facing unplanned pregnancies.
- All of this information and more is available at www.AfterRoe.com
What happens next:
- For pro-life advocates, our top priority will be passage of the Yes for Life Constitutional Amendment on November 8, 2022 to ensure that no state court can ever repeat the injustice of Roe v. Wade and invent a state constitutional right to abortion or abortion funding. The simple Amendment would add the following language to the Kentucky Constitution: “To protect human life, nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.”
Case Information
- Case summary: Mississippi passed a law restricting abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a clinic that performs abortions, challenged the law in court. Both sides agreed that Court must either fully overturn or reaffirm Roe in its ruling on the case.
An April 2022 Wall Street Journal poll found that more Americans support banning abortion after 15 weeks, than those that oppose.
- About Roe: Roe v. Wade created a supposed constitutional right to an abortion, effectively overturning the abortion laws of every state and revoking the authority to regulate abortion that the states had exercised for 185 years since the passage of the U.S. Constitution.
Despite being criticized by both conservative and liberal legal experts and sparking a national controversy that embittered our political culture for the past half-century, Roe v. Wade prevented States from enacting updated abortion laws informed by modern scientific developments. Instead, Roe allowed a living unborn child to be killed up until birth and mandated that States allow late-term abortions rejected by all except a handful of nations in the world.
Since Roe, over 62 million people have lost their lives to abortion in America.
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The Family Foundation is the leading Christian public policy organization in Kentucky and stands for Kentucky families and the Biblical values that make them strong. Learn more at kentuckyfamily.org.
