By Rep. Joe Fischer: This bill would affirm that the Kentucky Constitution does not guarantee the right to abortion or to have abortion paid for. HISTORY: Planned Parenthood sued the state of Iowa over their abortion laws. In 2018 the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood, struck down the Iowa law and said the Iowa Constitution guarantees the right to abortion. Since then, Planned Parenthood has begun to challenge abortion laws in multiple states. In order to protect their existing abortion regulations, two states (Tennessee and West Virginia) have passed measures like HB67, stating their state constitution does not guarantee the right to abortion. A number of other states have introduced similar measures this year.
Advocates say: HB 67 will better protect existing abortion regulations in Kentucky from attacks by Planned Parenthood. Without this bill, nothing would stop the Kentucky Supreme Court from suddenly “discovering” the right to abortion in our State Constitution.
Opponents say: HB 67 will take away women’s reproductive freedom because we will not be able to overturn Kentucky’s pro-life laws easily using the state constitution. The government has no right to tell a woman what she can and can’t do with her body.
Prospect of Passage: Because Kentucky is quite “pro-life” and the House and Senate both reflect that, with calls, HB 67 has a reasonable chance to pass.
