It’s NOT nice to lie

From Kentucky Right to Life Immediate Release:   It is Simply Not Nice to Lie - the Record Straight on Kentucky Abortion Law   Media Contact: 502-895-5959 By Addia K. Wuchner Former KY State Representative & Executive Director, Kentucky Right to Life   From childhood, we have all been taught: it’s not nice to lie. Yet here we are, facing despicable distortions of truth as voters head to the polls. For days, we have been receiving calls concerning the misinformation that is flooding Kentucky airwaves with a bold, misleading claim: “Kentucky laws ban ALL abortions including laws that protect the life of the mother." This is unequivocally FALSE.    Kentucky law explicitly allows for life-saving medical procedures in emergencies, ensuring that no woman is denied critical care in a life-threatening situation. Kentucky voters deserve the truth, not scare tactics, about what our laws actually say and protect.   Opponents of Kentucky’s pro-life stance are spreading falsehoods, claiming that the state’s abortion law offers no exceptions to protect the mother’s health. This is simply untrue. Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 311.772 Section (4) clearly permits medical procedures when necessary to prevent a mother’s death or to prevent serious, permanent harm to her life-sustaining organs. The law further specifies that doctors should make reasonable efforts to preserve the lives of both the mother and the unborn child whenever possible.   Truth matters, and we will not tolerate the spread of misinformation by any industry or individual, particularly when it concerns the health and safety of vulnerable women. Misinformation and fear tactics benefit no one—least of all those they claim to protect. Kentucky voters deserve facts, not fear. Lies and distortions have no place in the conversation when it comes to matters of life and health.   And to the abortion industry and your collaborators: any medical professional who supports this distortion of truth and any media outlet that fails to verify what you publish, know this—your actions are a betrayal of the public trust and a disservice to the very people you claim to serve. The truth will always come to light, and Kentuckians deserve no less.   ####

Human Life Protection Act Kentucky enacted the Human Life Protection Act, now codified at KRS 311.772, in March 2019. The Kentucky General Assembly passed the law by a bipartisan vote in both chambers. The Act prohibits abortion in most circumstances.

Generally speaking, it states that no person may knowingly cause or aid in “the termination of the life of an unborn human being.” KRS 311.772(3). Performing a prohibited abortion is a Class D felony, but pregnant mothers who receive an abortion are not subject to any criminal liability. KRS 311.772(3)(b), (5).

The Human Life Protection Act does NOT prohibit abortion when a licensed physician determines in his or her “reasonable medical judgment” that such a procedure is necessary to protect the life of a pregnant mother. KRS 311.772(4)(a).

More specifically, a licensed physician can knowingly perform an abortion to prevent a pregnant mother’s death, substantial risk of death due to a physical condition, or a serious, permanent impairment to a life-sustaining organ. A licensed physician must make reasonable medical efforts under the circumstances to preserve both the life of the mother and the life of the unborn child “in a manner consistent with reasonable practice.”