Addia Wuchner Statement on Proposed Legislation Penalizing Vulnerable Women

For 50 years Kentucky Right to Life has worked with the Kentucky General Assembly advocating for life on behalf of the humanity of the unborn child. Kentucky Right to Life and all the mainstream prolife organizations have a long history of supporting legislative measures to end abortion.

We have never advocated for laws that would penalize women.

“As national and state pro-life organizations, representing tens of millions of pro-life men, women, and children across the country, let us be clear: We state unequivocally that we do not support any measure seeking to criminalize or punish women and we stand firmly opposed to include such penalties in legislation.” Excerpt from Letter to All American Legislators dated May 12,2022, signed by all leading prolife organizations.

While we respect the passion of the sponsor of HB 300 and her sincere desire to end abortion and save innocent lives of unborn babies, we are greatly concerned that under the proposed legislation all parties to the abortion, including the mother of the child, would face criminal charges.

“We call upon all Kentucky prolife legislators to continue to act with compassion towards abortionminded and vulnerable women. We oppose any legislative and policy initiatives that criminalize women who seek abortions. Furthermore, we respectfully urge members of the Kentucky Assembly to reject HB 300 as written, and any measure of the bill that seeks to criminalize women who have abortions.”

– Addia Wuchner, R.N. Executive Director, Kentucky Right to Life.

Kentucky Right to Life and our chapters across the state will continue to work on initiatives that protect unborn children and policies that provide and support life-affirming resources for abortion-minded and vulnerable women.