The Kentucky legislature approved a pro-life measure Wednesday to give state Attorney General Daniel Cameron (pictured) the power to shut down abortion facilities and save more lives during the coronavirus pandemic.
Cameron, a pro-life Republican, recently urged state health authorities to hold abortion facilities accountable to a state ban on elective medical procedures during the health crisis. However, Gov. Andy Beshear is a pro-abortion Democrat, and he has not stopped abortions in the state.
WVXU reports Kentucky lawmakers voted to expand Cameron’s powers so that he can close abortion facilities that refuse to comply with the health restrictions. Currently, that power rests with the state health cabinet. The bill also defines most abortions as elective procedures.
“If [the governor] would actually step up and do the job he’s been elected to do and enforce his own order, we wouldn’t have to put this language in this bill,” said state Sen. Whitney Westefield, R-Crofton.
Westerfield called Beshear a “hypocrite,” and state Sen. Ralph Alvarado, R-Winchester, slammed the governor for showing favoritism to the abortion industry, the Courier Journal reports. He pointed out that Beshear received campaign donations from the only abortion facility in the state.
“The most dangerous place right now to be during the COVID-19 crisis in Kentucky is inside your mother’s womb,” Alvarado said.
Wednesday was the last day of the legislative session. Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union are lobbying Beshear to veto the legislation, according to WTVQ. If he does, it is not clear if lawmakers will be allowed to return to vote to override his veto.
After the vote Wednesday, ACLU spokesperson Jackie McGranahan slammed lawmakers for trying to “completely block abortion access for all Kentuckians, regardless of their personal circumstances.”
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But lawmakers are trying to save lives through the legislation, both born and unborn. Recently, medical groups representing more than 30,000 doctors in America emphasized that abortions are not “essential” or “urgent,” and abortion facilities that continue to operate during the pandemic are being “medically irresponsible.”
At the end of March, Cameron urged Eric Friedlander, secretary of the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services, to hold abortion facilities accountable to the health restrictions, WBKO reports.
“… Kentucky’s abortion providers are violating his ban on elective medical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic by continuing to perform abortions,” Cameron said in a statement. “Kentucky’s current ban on elective medical procedures exists to further the mandated policy of social distancing and to help conserve medical resources for use in fighting COVID-19.”
He urged abortion facilities to join the thousands of medical professionals across Kentucky who are canceling and postponing elective procedures to help slow the spread of the virus and conserve medical supplies.
However, the only abortion facility in the state, EMW Women’s Surgical Center in Louisville, is still aborting unborn babies. Planned Parenthood currently is working with Beshear to obtain a license to do abortions in the state as well.
Women do not need to abort their unborn babies to be healthy. To prevent maternal mortality, they need access to better health care, not abortions. Abortions kill unborn babies’ lives and put mothers at risk. Common abortion complications include infections, blood clots, hemorrhaging and an incomplete abortion where parts of the baby remain inside the mother’s womb. Abortion risks include future preterm births, breast cancer, suicide, anxiety/depression, and death. And it simply is not true that abortions are safer than childbirth.
Although the situation is fluid, here are the latest reports from LifeNews.com on the status of abortion and orders to stop non-essential medical services:
States Attempting to Protect Babies From Abortion
Texas: Abortion centers are temporarily closed after Governor Greg Abbott’s order. But Texas abortion businesses have sued the state to reopen. Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit as well to do abortions and ignore the order. A federal judge blocked the order and allowed abortion centers to keep killing babies but a federal appeals court reinstated the order. Now Planned Parenthood is asking the Supreme Court to allow killing babies in non-essential abortions. The 5th Circuit then ruled that surgical abortions, but not the abortion pill, can be banned.
Maryland: Abortion centers are included in the abortion order to stop non-essential procedures but they have been caught violating the order.
Louisiana: Abortion centers are included in the order to close and all three closed initially but at least one abortion center has been caught doing abortions.
Ohio: Abortion centers are included in the order to close but they are refusing to close. The health department is now investigating those violations. Meanwhile, a judge has blocked the state’s order banning abortions.
Mississippi: Abortion centers are included in the order and the state’s sole abortion business has closed.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Gov Orders Abortion Businesses to Close, Killing Babies is Not “Essential” Medical Care. The Planned Parenthood abortion business has sued to keep doing abortions and a federal appeals court allowed abortions to continue.
Kentucky: Attorney General Asks Health Department to Shut Down Abortion Clinics to Combat Coronavirus
Indiana: Governor Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus. At least one abortion business is refusing to comply.
Alabama: Alabama stopped abortions under its non-essential order until April 13th but a judge ruled the state can’t infringe on the so-called “right” to abortion. The judge also ruled that killing babies is somehow “essential” if abortion centers think so.
West Virginia: Gov Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus.
States Not Protecting Babies From Abortion
Kansas: Abortions are allowed in Kansas but a county in Wichita voted to close the late-term abortion clinic there.
New York: New York has issued an order to stop non-essential health services but is not applying it to abortion centers. New York Attorney General: Coronavirus Crisis is No Reason to Stop Killing Babies in Abortions. NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio has threatened to permanently close churches while letting abortion centers stay open.
Minnesota: Minnesota Issues Shelter at Home Order But People Can Still Go Kill Their Babies in Abortions
New Mexico: New Mexico Shuts Down Non-Essential Health Care, But Allows Abortion Clinics to Keep Killing Babies
New Jersey: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Michigan: Governor Whitmer has stopped non-essential medical surgeries but allowed abortion clinics to keep killing babies. Leading pro-life groups have heavily criticized her.
North Carolina: Pro-life groups have called on the governor to stop abortions during the coronavirus crisis.
Washington: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
California: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded. But 11 Planned Parenthood abortion centers have voluntarily closed.
Pennsylvania: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded. Pro-life groups have criticized Governor Tom Wolf for letting abortions continue.
Maine: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico Shuts Down Pregnancy Center Over Coronavirus, Lets Abortion Clinics Stay Open
Massachusetts: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
International
Canada has banned every other non-essential medical procedure except abortion
