In January 2016, upon discovering that abortions were being provided without the legally required license, newly-elected Kentucky Gov. Bevin sent Louisville’s Planned Parenthood a cease-and-desist letter. America’s largest abortion provider and the Commonwealth have been locked in a legal battle ever since.
At issue is Planned Parenthood’s failure to maintain a “transfer and transport agreement” with a local hospital, required by state law to ensure the safety of the mother in case the surgery goes wrong.
On September 28, 2018, a federal district judge declared the transfer and transport agreement requirement to be unconstitutional. Gov. Bevin’s attorneys appealed that decision to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
On March 21, 2019, Planned Parenthood asked the district judge to hold Bevin in contempt of court for failing to issue it an abortion license.
Bevin’s attorneys filed a response last week (April 11), arguing that the court has no choice but to deny Planned Parenthood’s motion because they failed to meet their burden of proof.
In addition, it’s curious that Planned Parenthood waited two years to raise their concerns and failed to utilize several timely legal options. In fact, they have not even filed a new license application. That means there is nothing for the Bevin administration to act upon.
