amna: State legislatures across
the country continue to pass new
restrictive abortion laws.
Just today, Florida's governor
signed a 15-week abortion ban
into law.
That comes right after
Kentucky's new abortion bill was
implemented, one that opponents
say effectively shuts down all
abortion access in the state.
John yang has more.
John: Kentucky's law took effect
yesterday after the state's
republican-controlled
legislature overruled them a
credit governor Andy Beshear's
veto.
Both the ac and planned
parenthood asked a federal judge
to block the new law, saying it
violates the current super
important limits on what states
may do about abortion.
Shefali luthra is a health
reporter for the 19th, the
non-profit, online news
organization focusing on the
intersection of gender,
politics, and policy.
Thanks so much for being with
us.
A lot of provisions in this
bill.
What are the most salient
things, what does it do?
>> This bill is 60 pages.
It is absolutely a mammoth.
It has gotten headlines for its
15 week ban on restrictions on
medication abortion, new
requirements for minors who want
to receive abortions.
But arguably the most aborted
thing it has done is imposed all
of these new regulations on how
abortion clinics operate,
requiring them to publish the
names of all the medical
providers who perform abortions,
requiring them to register
different processes with the
state under programs that don't
yet exist.
The restrictions are under
programs that are not
enforceable yet that the clinics
have no choice but to stop
performing abortions because
they have no way to comply.
John: The outpatient abortion
providers in Kentucky, they have
had to stop.
What is this doing to women in
Kentucky who want to terminate
their pregnancies?
Shefali: There are no
clinic-based options for
abortions at. This point in
Kentucky
there's planned parenthood and
emw.
Hospitals perform some
abortions, but it is a tiny
fraction.
Maybe a dozen out of more than
3000 abortions every year.
If you live in Kentucky and you
want an abortion, your only
option is to travel out of
state.
The next nearest places are
Indiana, maybe Ohio, maybe
Tennessee, but those can be long
and expensive journeys, and an
abortion is already an expensive
and unplanned expense.
John: We saw the policies go
into effect in Florida.
Governor Desantis signed a ban
on abortion.
How do these things fit into
what states are doing as we wait
for the supreme word to hand
down its abortion ruling before
summer?
Shefali: What we are seeing is
in particular Republican leaders
of states are trying a variety
of approaches to try to restrict
abortion as much as they think
is feasible in their states.
Governor Desantis of Florida is
particularly interesting because
it seems that the appetite maybe
is not there for a total ban.
They suggest maybe a 15 week ban
could be more palatable.
A 15 week ban is what is being
debated in front of the supreme
are right now.
Both sides have a lot of issues
with even that as a restriction
right.
A 15 week ban -- if you have
lesser means or how to travel
further to get an abortion, you
may not make it in time.
John: The Kentucky law has no
exemptions for rape or
incest.
You talk about the palatability
of cutoffs for these laws.
What has been the reaction or
the sense among the people in
Kentucky during this debate,
during the veto, during the
override of the veto?
Shefali: Yesterday, it was such
a powerful day, and you saw
emotions running really high on
the sides.
Many believe it is important and
they were talking about it as if
it could save lives.
That is the argument they are
making.
Then you heard Democrats who
talked -- one started crying,
telling the story of a woman she
met who had a pregnancy that she
couldn't carry to term, that the
fetus didn't have a working
heartbeat, and she spoke about
the impact it has on cases like
these where you know you need an
abortion and you can't get one.
There were protesters outside
the legislature chanting "Bans
off our bodies," and at one
point the lawmakers had to ask
each other to speak louder to be
heard.
John: All of these states trying
to take action ahead of the
supreme court.
Tell us what, in Kentucky in
particular, what happens if the
supreme court, this law is in
effect for now, but if the
supreme court were to end
abortion rates, what happens
then?
Shefali: Kentucky like so many
states has what is called a
trigger lock, and that law is
written so it would take effect
if and when Brophy very -- roe
V. Wade is overturned.
It would ban all abortions in
the state.
We would go from what is
currently a de facto absence of
abortion to an actual and
complete ban on the procedure.
Shefali, thank you very much.
Shefali: Thank you for having
me.