(LifeSiteNews) – The Kentucky legislature’s recent enactment of a pro-life omnibus law over the veto of Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear is already paying dividends in the form of a de facto cessation of abortion-on-demand in the Bluegrass State.
Last week, the legislature overrode Beshear’s veto of HB 3, which prohibits abortions performed past 15 weeks and the dispensation of abortion pills by mail, as well as requires parental consent for minors’ abortions and humane burial or cremation of aborted babies.
Beshear primarily cited the lack of an explicit rape exception for the parental consent provision. While the word “rape” does not appear in the bill, Kentucky Right to Life responded by noting that it actually does address the governor’s professed concern by “explicitly indicat[ing] exceptions for sexual abuse and sexual abuse by the minor girl’s parent.”
Because HB 3 took effect immediately, Operation Rescue’s Cheryl Sullenger noted, Kentucky’s two remaining abortion facilities have suspended their abortion operations since April 14, rendering Kentucky effectively abortion-free for the time being.
“We are proud of the Kentucky Legislature having the courage to stand up for women and innocent babies,” Operation Rescue president Troy Newman said. “Every day this law remains in force is another day babies are not dying barbaric violent deaths.”
Townhall reported that the two abortion centers, Louisville Center Planned Parenthood and EMW Women’s Surgery Center, filed lawsuits seeking to block enforcement of HB 3, but so far no temporary restraining order has been issued.
In response, Kentucky Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron disputed Planned Parenthood’s argument that it cannot comply with reporting requirements that state health officials have yet to set up, arguing simply that “HB3 does not require Planned Parenthood to comply with forms and regulations that do not exist yet.”
Cameron added that the abortion giant has yet to prove that the law is unconstitutional, and that some forms still being pending “is not a blank check for Planned Parenthood to ignore every other provision of HB 3 that it does not like.”