By TOM LATEK,
Kentucky Today
Reprinted from Kentucky Today, with permission
FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – A bill banning one form of abortion is on its way to Gov. Matt Bevin after winning final House passage on Tuesday. House Bill 454, sponsored by Rep. Addia Wuchner, R-Florence, would ban the procedure known as dilatation and evacuation, which dismembers the fetus after the 11th week of pregnancy. Wuchner told her colleagues the Senate made one small change to the wording of “The Human Child” to agree what is already part of state law, from fertilization to live birth. She said this was not an effort to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“I don’t believe the Supreme Court Justices in 1973, when they were trying to protect women from back-alley procedures and giving them that right, thought of this procedure.”
The House agreed to the Senate change, and won approval, 75-13. Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo, D-Lexington, spoke against the bill, saying it would end up costing the state money, due to court action. “In Alabama, this was challenged in federal court and declared unconstitutional. In Texas, challenged in federal court and found unconstitutional.” She also stated it would force Kentucky physicians to use procedures that are not as safe. Rep. Stan Lee, R-Lexington, supported the measure. “I find it ironic since we like to say we are a civilized society, that anyone would allow this type of procedure to take place. I think sometimes those little babies need someone to speak up for them. That doesn’t always happen.” He also said he found it ironic that those against the death penalty, calling it inhumane, would be against this procedure, which is also inhumane. The procedure was used in 537 of 3,312 abortions done in Kentucky in 2016, according to state statistics.