Advisory Issued Following U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision Overturning Roe v. Wade
FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 24, 2022) – Attorney General Daniel Cameron today released an advisory providing an overview of the effect and scope of Kentucky’s Human Life Protection Act. The Human Life Protection Act prohibits abortions in most circumstances and took effect today, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
In 2019, the General Assembly passed the Human Life Protection Act with bipartisan support in both chambers. Under the statute, no person may knowingly cause or aid in the “termination of the life of an unborn human being.” Performing a prohibited abortion is a felony. Pregnant mothers are not subject to any criminal liability.
The Human Life Protection Act does not prohibit abortion when a licensed physician determines in his or her “reasonable medical judgment” that such a procedure is necessary to protect the life of a pregnant mother.
In the advisory, Attorney General Cameron explains that the Act takes effect today, June 24, 2022, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. The decision overturned Roe v. Wade and, as the court stated, returned “the issue of abortion to the people’s representatives.”
The advisory also provides guidance regarding frequently asked questions about the Human Life Protection Act.
To read the advisory, click here.