"For Kentucky Right to Life, chapters and pro-life Kentuckians, today's 4-3 ruling by the Kentucky Supreme Court is another historic moment. It's a moment to rejoice. We're extremely grateful for Attorney General Cameron and his entire team and the stellar work that they've done defending the laws of Kentucky.

"Abortion facilities have been closed for over 198 days and they remain closed. Lives will continue to be saved. But we clearly understand that… the battle is far from over. We will continue to work, pray, and advocate to protect the lives of unborn children and to work with their moms to make abortion unthinkable.

"With the overturning of Roe, the matter of abortion was appropriately returned to the States. We are now experiencing how democracy should work.

"The Justices are to precisely rule on matters of legislation so they can consider these issues in constitutional rather than political terms. The Courts are granted the great power of judicial review, the power to uphold or strike down laws passed by federal or state legislatures, on the grounds that they violate the basic principles of the Constitution.

"Today we celebrate, we have turned the page; this chapter has a happy ending. But this book on life is far from over."

Today, July 22, 2022, Jefferson Circuit Judge Mitch Perry issued a ruling to continue blocking the Humanity in Healthcare Act of 2022 and the ‘Heartbeat Law’ of 2019. Abortions in Kentucky continue to be performed, despite the overturn of Roe and the “Trigger Law” passed in 2019 in a bipartisan vote. That law ended abortion in Kentucky when or if Roe was overturned, with the exception of the health risk and medical condition of the mother.

Let me be direct, Kentucky’s battle for the human rights of the child is in the courts because Planned Parenthood, ACLU and EMW seek to have a Kentucky judge and our courts undermine the laws of the Commonwealth.

We find today’s decision by Judge Perry an exercise in raw judicial power on behalf of the abortion industry.

What is most disturbing is that Judge Perry wrote in his opinion, “the court finds any harm the defendants may suffer is outweighed by the interests of the plaintiffs,” which effectively means he believes that the abortion providers’ interest outweighs the life of a human child.

Kentucky’s laws to push back the aggression of the Roe decision, reflect the values of Kentuckians that honor the humanity of both the woman and her child. For over 100 years, the laws of the Commonwealth have upheld the intrinsic dignity of each and every life, defined in our Constitution as beginning at conception.

As prolife advocates, today’s ruling only confirms our mission this November to pass Constitutional Amendment 2, ‘Yes for Life,’ so that no politician, president, legislator or judge can invent the right to abortion based on political ideologies or interpretations of our constitution or the influence of any extremist multimillion dollar industry representing their own interests.

Thank You, Kentucky State Legislators and Governor Matt Bevin

The four bills that were introduced by Kentucky’s Pro-life Caucus on January 10 ALL passed the current legislative session. We know our Governor will sign them all!

SB 227, introduced on Feb. 15 to protect Born Alive Infants, did not make it to the finish line. We hope this bill will be re-introduced next year.

How does it feel to live in a pro-life state? Wonderful! What relief we pro-lifers feel (!), knowing that the majority of our legislators have the deepest concern for pre-born babies. Perhaps there are many things in your community and state that you would like to see changed, but at least we do have respect for life. The majority of us are holding firm that our U.S. Constitution means what it says about our Right to Life.

The bills, SB 9, the “heartbeat bill”; SB 50, abortion pill reporting requirements AND the doctor must explain the Abortion Pill Reversal Pill to the client; HB 5, no abortion for discriminatory reasons based on sex, race, color, national origin or disability; and HB 148, to end abortion if and when Roe v. Wade is overturned by SCOTUS— ALL had bipartisan support. That is further proof that Kentucky is, in the main, PRO-LIFE.

Will Kentucky be the first state NOT to have an abortion clinic? There is national speculation about that. With the ACLU challenges to our pro-life laws and bills not yet signed into law, we can’t say.

Currently we have only ONE, the EMW clinic in Louisville. And, Planned Parenthood has a clinic in Louisville with aggressive plans to establish a larger presence.

We can’t rest on our laurels but we can enjoy the moment. Today, we are passionately grateful and taking the day off. (But we are in the office!)

Enjoy the full testimony of Abby Johnson at the Public Protection Committee hearing.

SB 9, the Heartbeat Bill, has passed out of Committee to the floor of the House. Gov. Bevin is expected to sign it if it reaches his desk, at which point the ACLU of Kentucky will sue the state.

This same bill recently passed Tennessee’s House Committee. LifeNews.com reports:

Heartbeat bills also have been introduced in a number of other states this winter, including Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and South Carolina. However, in January, a judge declared Iowa’s heartbeat law unconstitutional.

The goal of the legislation is to prevent the deaths of thousands of unborn babies every year. However, even some pro-life advocates admit that the success of the legislation is uncertain. While the rationale behind the law is noble, a number of pro-life leaders recognize that, for the present, such laws may create unintended consequences that could hamper the pro-life cause. When courts rule against such laws, state taxpayers often are forced to reimburse pro-abortion groups for their legal fees.

North Dakota and Arkansas passed heartbeat bills several years ago, but federal courts struck down both laws.

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals said the following about its ruling on the six-week ban: “Because there is no genuine dispute that (North Dakota’s law) generally prohibits abortions before viability — as the Supreme Court has defined that concept — and because we are bound by Supreme Court precedent holding that states may not prohibit pre-viability abortions, we must affirm the district court’s grant of summary judgment to the plaintiffs.”

Is this a dilemma for pro-lifers? Can we continue to push for legislation that ends abortion, whether in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd trimester? Ought we to base our legal strategies on whether or not a court will rule in our favor? Or, should we seek justice by pursuing the right to life for pre-born babies who are alive from conception? We are living in a time of unconstitutional high court decisions that dictate lower court rulings, BUT not always. Some judges respectfully stand for life.

One example is the Louisiana Unsafe Abortion Protection Act that requires abortionists to have admitting privileges to hospitals to protect women’s health. The case went to SCOTUS this winter despite a similar Texas law being struck down. “But Chief Justice John Roberts joined the high court’s pro-abortion minority to prohibit the law’s implementation over the dissent of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch noted their dissent but did not join the Kavanaugh opinion. Oddly, Roberts joined the pro-life side when the Supreme Court ruled on a similar Texas law.” (NRLC.org)

Nevertheless the case may be reconsidered later this year.

A man who lived 3,000 years ago defined our dilemma well: “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Ps 11:3) Your Kentucky Right to Life is working on answers and encouraging prayer.

Pro-life speaker and abortion survivor Claire Culwell delivers a powerful personal testimony at the SB 9 Committee Hearing on Feb. 14. Read more: LifeSiteNews.com

For more testimonies and coverage of the Committee and Senate discussions, see the first nine minutes of ,this KET video.

The opposition (Vote No!) spoke first. Kate Miller, advocacy director and primary lobbyist for ACLU Kentucky, was the starting quarterback with loads of statistics on how many poor women there are in Kentucky and the tremendous burden SB9 would be. She promised the unconstitutional bill would be held up in litigation for years like the other pro-life bills the Kentucky Legislature has passed.

Most people know that the pride and joy of poor people is their children. And what about adoption? It is true, though, that the ACLU knows how to jam the court system with lawsuits to convince Kentuckians that they are ignorant of the laws on abortion. (But a lot of pro-life progress has been made over the years!)

We also heard testimonies from a Planned Parenthood rep, an ObGyn doctor, a pastor of a Christian church who sees SB9 as injustice, a mother who lost a child from a fetal anomaly (did not require abortion), and an entrepreneur who could not have grown her business if SB9 had been in effect. She also said Kentucky already has way too many restrictions, forcing her to go out of state to have an abortion.

The testimonies of those who want to see SB9 pass (Vote Yes!) began with a physician with good insights on pre-born humans. We heard from a BesideUforLife center representative who is an ObGyn physician, an abortion survivor whose twin had been successfully aborted, and who had a daughter of her own. She wanted to know where was the justice and concern for her and for her daughter who would not exist except for the failed abortion. A pregnant mom was “miked” so we could hear a heartbeat. The Bill passed out of committee 10-2 and in the Senate 31-6. See KRLA Current News for more info.

By far the most forceful testimony came from Abby Johnson, a national speaker who once was employed with PP and knows first-hand what their tactics and practices are. Abby boldly reminded the opposition that they can find better work and renew their minds to think normally about life. Seated next to Abby is Sen. Matt Caslen who sponsored SB9. Next to him is Claire Culwell of Austin, Texas, whose twin was aborted.

ASIDE: Abby was the featured speaker at the Louisville RTL 2013 Celebration of Life Banquet! These banquets are always so special. Please come this year! More info.