FRANKFORT, Ky. — Democrat representatives are aiming to grant Kentucky women access to an abortion in the state. State Rep. Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, filed three bills Wednesday aimed at protecting women’s health care rights.
Burke’s bills aim to repeal Kentucky’s near total ban on abortion, protect women’s health care information if they go out of state for reproductive care and expand the Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) program.
Burke was joined by abortion-rights advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Planned Parenthood. She shared her journey to motherhood, which included miscarriages, procedures and finally giving birth to her son.
She said she remembers having to go out of state to get many procedures done because they did not exist in Kentucky.
“The lack of access we have not only to abortion but to simple OBG/YN care in Kentucky is alarming," she said. "There are so many counties across the state where there are no OBG/YNs."
Burke filed House Bill 428 Wednesday, also known as the Northstar Bill. It would repeal 2019 and 2022 laws that essentially stop any abortion in Kentucky. Abortion, for any reason, besides risk to the mother, was banned in Kentucky following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
“The trigger ban is so heavy-handed that it has consequences that may have been unintentional, especially for those people who want to be parents but have had tragically complicated pregnancies,” Burke said.
Burke also filed House Bill 429, the Shield Bill. It protects Kentucky women’s health information from subpoena if they go out of state to get care.
“If the state of Kentucky should do that to any woman who sought care out of state, they [Kentucky] can be sued,” Burke said.
The only exception in Kentucky to abortion is if the mother’s life is at risk. Kentucky state director of Planned Parenthood Alliance Tamarra Wieder said forcing rape victims to carry a child is “wicked.”
“Kentucky has the third-most pregnancies resulting from rape in the nation among states without abortion exemptions for rape survivors,” Wieder said.
Lastly, Burke filed House Bill 430. It would expand Kentucky’s HANDS program to provide families it serves with information about postpartum depression and anxiety. She filed the Northstar Bill and HANDS bill last session. Her SHIELD bill is new legislation, and it would be unique to Kentucky, she said.
The Lexington Democrat has yet to discuss the legislation with Republican counterparts but mentioned she hopes her story will sway some “friendly faces.” However, Burke faces an uphill battle as Republicans have a supermajority in both chambers.
Last session, Burke’s Northstar and HANDS bills failed to make it out of committee.
Kentucky Right to Life is opposed to legislation in the Senate that would provide abortion exceptions for rape and incest. They also say ACLU and Planned Parenthood will not stop until there is a full restoration of unrestricted abortions in Kentucky.