FRANKFORT, Ky. — Multiple bills were filed this legislative session aimed to loosen Kentucky’s near total ban on abortion.
Bills in both the House and Senate would allow abortions in cases of rape or incest, but none have much of a chance heading into the last two days of the legislative session.
What You Need To Know
- State Sen. David Yates, D-Louisville, filed a discharge petition for Senate Bill 99
- SB 99, known as "Hadley's Law," would provide exceptions to the state's near-total restriction on abortions
- "Hadley's Law" would allow abortions in cases of rape, incest and non-viable pregnancies
- A majority of senators would have to approve the discharge petition for SB 99 to be read on the full floor
Days before the end of this legislative session, Senate Minority Whip David Yates, D-Louisville, filed a discharge petition Thursday for Senate Bill 99. The bill provides exceptions to restrictions on abortion in cases of rape, incest and a non-viable pregnancy.
“The longer that we go without adding these limited exceptions in these horrific situations, the more women that will be harmed," Yates said.
Yates filed the bill Jan. 9. It has yet to be assigned a committee after 58 legislative days.
Yates said this violates senate rules. A discharge petition would bring the bill to the full floor for debate and discussion if a majority of senators vote to discharge the bill.
“There should be an open, honest discussion, and we should come up with solutions for everybody because Kentuckians deserve to know where your elected official stands on this issue," Yates said.
SB 99, also known as "Hadley’s Law," is named after Owensboro rape survivor and reproductive rights advocate Hadley Duvall, prominently featured in campaign ads for Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky.
“If this bill had been given a hearing, I would’ve been here to testify; I would have said how I was sexually abused by my stepfather for years and getting pregnant at the age of 12," Duvall said.
Duvall said there are other girls and women across Kentucky in similar situations. She and Yates added a majority of Kentuckians believe in these limited exceptions.
“How could you choose to not hear out the bill but you won’t give us our choice?" Duvall said.
Yates said if the discharge petition fails, he will continue to work on the bill during the interim and push for its passage next session.
Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said Yates is a member of the committee on committees and never requested the bill be assigned and any senator can request to have their bill assigned to committee.