A U.S. district judge has temporarily blocked a Kentucky law that prohibits most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and requires an in-person doctor’s visit before obtaining a chemical abortion. Earlier this month, the Kentucky legislature overrode Democratic governor Andy Beshear’s veto to enact the law.
The judge didn’t rule on the specifics of the law but focused rather on the fact that Kentucky’s two abortion clinics claimed that the law’s lack of guidelines made it impossible to comply with. She said her decision does not preclude Kentucky from developing those guidelines and then beginning to enforce the law again. Both clinics had temporarily halted abortion procedures because they weren’t able to comply with the law, and both said that they will resume abortions in the interim.
Republican Daniel Cameron, the state’s attorney general, said he intends to continue defending the law from future challenges, even after the requisite compliance guidelines have been put in place. “We are disappointed that the court chose to temporarily halt enforcement of the entire law. This law is constitutional and we look forward to continuing to defend it,” Cameron said in a statement
“This is a win, but it is only the first step,” said Rebecca Gibron, CEO of Planned Parenthood’s Kentucky affiliate. “We’re prepared to fight for our patients’ right to basic health in court and to continue doing everything in our power in ensure abortion access is permanently secured in Kentucky.”