The Kentucky Senate has voted to ban doctors from performing abortions if they believe the person seeking the procedure wants it because of the fetus' race, sex or a disability. The measure now heads to Gov. Matt Bevin for final approval. Within minutes of the bill's passage, the American Civil Liberties Union announced it would sue to block it. Gov. Bevin responded to the announcement on Twitter, saying "Bring it! Kentucky will always fight for life… Always!" Read More
Courts
Litigation and rulings.
High Court Sides With Catholic Bishops
The Supreme Court rejected an appeal from an abortion clinic seeking access to records belonging to the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops concerning its pro-life deliberations. Whole Woman’s Health, a pro-choice health facility in Texas, had subpoenaed the bishops’ religious deliberations on abortion and any communications with government officials, after the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops offered to provide burials for aborted remains following a state law requiring hospitals to properly dispose of fetal tissue through cremation or burial rather than in a sewer or landfill. Read More
California Must Pay Pro-Life Legal Fees
A federal judge ordered the state of California to pay three pro-life pregnancy centers and a conservative law firm a total of $399,000 after a state law meant to force "crisis pregnancy centers" to promote abortion was struck down. The Supreme Court found the California law requiring pro-life centers to display information about how to obtain a state-funded abortion unconstitutional in June. Then in October, a federal district court issued a permanent injunction against the law in question, the Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care, and Transparency (FACT) Act. Read More
Roberts Joins Libs in Pro-Abortion Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court blocked Louisiana from enforcing a law that women's groups said would leave only a single doctor legally allowed to perform abortions in the state. By a 5-4 vote, the court said the restrictions must remain on hold while challengers appeal a lower court decision in favor of the law. Chief Justice John Roberts voted with the court's liberal members. It was the Supreme Court's first significant action on the hot-button issue of abortion since Donald Trump's nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, replaced Anthony Kennedy, who generally voted with the court's liberals to uphold abortion rights. Read More