Several Democrats in the Kentucky House have filed a bill that would make it a felony for doctors not to consult with patients seeking abortions a day before the procedure. The bill is one of many filed this year that would limit abortion access.
House Bill 184, which was introduced by Democrats, enjoys overwhelming support from Republicans, with over 50 sponsors. It's the type of bill that could rally conservative voters behind any supporting lawmakers ahead of a busy election season.
Derek Selznick is the Reproductive Freedom Project Director of the ACLU of Kentucky. He says this bill and others would most severely affect women outside of major cities.
If a woman is from a rural part of the state, that means she’s going to have to get a hotel. If she works an hourly job, she’s out two days’ wages. All of these are serious impediments that offer really no higher quality of care. All they do is put a higher burden on a woman seeking abortion.” –Derek Selznick
Selznick adds that the requirements will place an extra burden on women from rural areas of the state, who’ll need to pay for lodging in Louisville or Lexington, which are home to the only two abortion clinics in the commonwealth.