House Republicans Join With Senate Republicans to Expedite Pro-Life Legislation
FRANKFORT, Ky. (January 7, 2017) – House Republicans, under the leadership of Speaker Jeff Hoover, once again have shown their commitment to life with the passage of two major pro-life bills during the first week of the 2017 Regular Session. Senate Bill 5, the “20 Week Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act,” bans abortion after 20 weeks – the half way point of a pregnancy. The passage of this measure, along with today’s Senate passage of House Bill 2, the “Ultrasound Informed Consent Act,” shows that Kentucky Republicans in Frankfort are committed to preserving the life of the unborn.
The “Ultrasound Informed Consent Act,” HB 2, passed the House on Thursday and requires a doctor to provide women with an ultrasound prior to her consent to undergo an abortion procedure. The act will protect the unborn child from pain, and equip women of Kentucky with the pertinent medical information to make her consent to an abortion procedure fully informed.
“This week, common sense legislation to protect life and provide women with appropriate medical information has passed the Kentucky General Assembly,” said Chairwoman of the House Health and Family Services Committee, Representative Addia Wuchner. “There is nothing more pro-woman than protecting the life of a child and assuring that all women are provided complete medical information when such a critical life-impacting decision is faced.”
In addition to providing a woman with complete medical information before consenting to an abortion, the “Ultrasound Informed Consent Act,” or HB 2, permits any woman to elect not to view the ultrasound or hear the unborn child’s heartbeat.
Both bills passed in an overwhelmingly bipartisan manner, and will now be sent to the Governor for his signature. They will both become law immediately upon his action.
