Abortion bill 1.8.21

A bill before the Kentucky Senate would give the attorney general the power to enforce abortion law

Offices.

In the kentucky statehouse...several bills are on the fast track during this shortened legislative session and that includes two about abortion.

One of those...house bill two...would give the attorney general more control.

Abc 36's monica harkins listened to today's discussions at the capitol and has what both sides are saying.

### topics of abortion are no stranger in kentucky's capitol... "sen.

Robert stivers manchester , senate president: that child in the womb is a person and can't speak and somebody needs to speak for it."

Planned parenthood and the american civil liberties union are used to speaking against anti- abortion bills.

"jackie mcgranahan, ky.

Aclu policy strategist: we don't think that the government should force anyone to stay pregnant against their will."

Friday...a house bill that would allow the attorney general to enforce abortion laws moved to the senate.

"rep.

Fischer: this bill will give him the opportunity to protect and defend these otherwise defenseless children."

Kentucky director for planned parenthood adves tamarra wieder says there's no reason for this bill other than politics between a republican led legislature and a democratic governor.

Weider: "it's purely a political bill.

It's designed to take power away from the experts in the cabinet of health and family services and give it to a politicized position, a lawyer, with no medical background."

Those in favor of house bill 2...say it simply allows more oversight.

The bill also includes language that would restrict something governor beshear allowed during the pandemic... abortions would no longer be considered an emergency procedure..instead.

..elective.... weider says it 's disheartening abortion bills are at the top of the legislative session in a pandemic.

"we have been in sessions for four days, and i have yet to hear anything about how to keep kentucky healthy.

During a pandemic and i really want to like stress that these bills aren't doing anything to protect people during covid, they're just making health care more inaccessible."

Despite this....house bill 2 is expected to pass and head to the governor's desk saturday.

In frankfort, "gavel nat pop" monica harkins, abc 36 news.

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