KY Representative Lindsey Burke (D-Lexington) Files Legislation to Protect Abortion

via press release

Whether it is a fatal fetal anomaly, a non-viable pregnancy, rape or any reason, Kentucky women deserve compassionate and accessible medical care

Frankfort, KY — On Wednesday, January 31, 2024, Representative Lindsey Burke announced her filing of three bills: The North Star bill (HB 428), Shield Bill (HB 429), and the Maternal Mental Health HANDS Bill (HB 430). The legislation would repeal dozens of state statutes that limit reproductive access, including 2019 and 2022 laws that have essentially stopped abortion in Kentucky. The Shield Bill specifically provides protections for private medical information and providers when patients are forced to access care out of state.

The Maternal Mental Health/HANDS Bill would require the long-standing Health Access Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) program to provide the families it serves with information about maternal and postpartum depression.

Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates of Kentucky, the ACLU of Kentucky, and several reproductive health allies spoke in support of the reproductive health legislation.

“There are countless stories of people being unable to access reproductive care they need, locally. I am one of those impacted,” state Representative Lindsey Burke of Lexington said. “Whether it is a fatal fetal anomaly, a non-viable pregnancy, rape or any reason, Kentucky women deserve compassionate and accessible medical care—care that was available for the majority of my lifetime but now is unavailable in Kentucky. One of my bills restores abortion access here in Kentucky. The second bill formalizes legal protections for those who have to travel to other states to get needed care. My third bill addresses the epidemic of maternal mortality in Kentucky by including information about postpartum depression and anxiety in the HANDS program that serves many Kentucky families.”

“It’s time for Kentucky lawmakers to stop criminalizing our care and repeal the bans or be repealed,” said Tamarra Wieder, Kentucky State Director for PPAA. “If legislators think Kentuckians will forget that their policies created a public health crisis, they are wrong. You don’t forget the fear of being pregnant when you don’t want to be. You don’t forget when your doctor tells you they can’t save your life because they fear going to jail. Or that your friend lost their life because a politician decided their beliefs were more important than their constituent’s health care. Kentuckians are living with these realities every day. To the brave Kentuckians courageously navigating forced pregnancy, know you are not alone. We are here for you. We will never stop fighting for you and the right to control your body and future. To Kentucky lawmakers: Abortion is health care, and the freedom to decide what happens with our own bodies is non-negotiable.”

“Kentucky can not continue to be a forced pregnancy state,” said Jackie McGranahan, Senior Policy strategist for Reproductive Freedom for the ACLU of Kentucky. “We know the people of Kentucky support access to abortion, and voters have gone to the polls to prove that. Lawmakers will have to answer for their inaction at the ballot box, and we will never stop fighting - whether it is in Frankfort, in court, or alongside communities - for total reproductive freedom.”

“Supporting access to abortion is not a statement against motherhood,” said Katima Smith-Willis, advocate for reproductive freedom and member of the ACLU of Kentucky’s Breaking Barriers Council. “It's a statement in support of the complex and often challenging journey that is motherhood. It's about trusting mothers to make decisions that are right for them, their families, and their futures.”

Representative Burke’s bills have been filed and must receive a committee hearing in order to move forward.

You can access a recording of the press conference here.

FRANKFORT, Jan. 12 – Rep. Lindsey Burke, D-Lexington, plays with her 9-month-old son Ewan Mancillas during a break on the House floor.Photo byLRC Public Information Office