FRAKNFORT, Ky. — Louisville’s Planned Parenthood will begin providing abortion services soon.

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services granted Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky a provisional license allowing the Louisville Health Center to offer a full range of reproductive health care including abortions.

“Kentucky has gone from one abortion provider to two, which is a significant win for reproductive health care in the state. Abortion access in Kentucky and across the country is at great risk, so while this is a step forward, the fight is far from over,” Chris Charbonneau, CEO of PPINK said in a statement. “We are glad to see the Cabinet for Health and Family Services follow the law and grant PPINK a provisional license because we met the requirements. All people in Kentucky deserve to make their own pregnancy decisions and to have access to safe and legal abortion.”

The announcement ends years of battles with the Bevin Administration over a license to provide abortion services at the Louisville clinic. The Bevin administration had held up the license for years before denying it last year.

The Beshear administration dismissed the Bevin era lawsuit earlier this month.

“In January, CHFS rescinded the denial of PPINK’s license application, and the case brought against PPINK regarding the license was dismissed,” said Charbonneau. “The lawsuit filed under the previous administration was a blatant attack against reproductive rights and made no attempt to follow proper protocols and procedures.” 

The clinic will begin providing abortion services in March 2020.

There are no immediate plans to apply for a license for the Bluegrass Health Center in Lexington. 

“We are pleased to get the license in Louisville and are focused on launching services there in early March," said Nicole Erwin, Planned Parenthood Communications Manager. "We will never stop fighting for expanded access in Kentucky, and are looking at Lexington next.”  

Currently, the only place to offer abortion services is the EMW Women’s Surgical Center in Louisville.