Legislatura de Kentucky anula el veto del gobernador sobre ley que prohíbe el aborto, Planned Parenthood y ACLU presentarán demanda contra restricciones inconstitucionales

Sin alivio judicial, el aborto estára efectivamente prohibido en el estado

Frankfort, KY — Planned Parenthood y la Unión Americana de Libertades Civiles (ACLU, por sus siglas en inglés)  presentarán dos demandas individuales en contra de la ley H.B. 3, una ley general que a partir de hoy prohíbe el aborto en Kentucky de manera efectiva. La H.B. 3, aprobada por la legislatura a fines del mes pasado, fue vetada por el gobernador Andy Beshear el 8 de abril. La legislatura anuló dicho veto hace unos momentos, poniendo en efecto una serie de restricciones al aborto, y la prohibición al aborto a las 15 semanas.

Las demandas sostienen que la ley crearía requisitos innecesarios para abortar, a la vez que hace imposible cumplir con dichos requisitos, ya que la ley entra en vigencia inmediatamente. Por ende los proveedores de aborto se han visto obligados a no ofrecer servicios. Al ser incumplible, la ley representa una prohibición al aborto de facto, lo cual viola los derechos federales de los pacientes a abortar bajo el precedente establecido por la decisión de la Corte Suprema de Roe vs. Wade.

La ACLU también está disputando la prohibición al aborto a las 15 semanas de embarazo.

Declaración de Planned Parenthood Federation of America y Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Indiana y Kentucky:

“No se equivoquen: por medio de esta ley, la legislatura de Kentucky busca cerrar los centros de salud y eliminar completamente el acceso al aborto en ese estado. Pero, no hemos perdido la esperanza: estamos poniendo manos a la obra. Créenos cuando decimos que vamos a hacer todo lo que sea posible bajo nuestro poder para detener esta ley perjudicial, que previene el acceso al cuidado de salud vital y urgente que necesitan y se merecen los residentes de Kentucky. Confiamos en que las cortes detendrán esta ley general que es cruel e inconstitucional. Todas las personas se merecen tomar sus propias decisiones en cuanto a sus cuerpos, vidas y futuros.”

Nota de prensa completa en inglés a continuación

Kentucky Legislature Overrides Governor’s Veto, Planned Parenthood and ACLU Sue to Block Law’s Unconstitutional Abortion Restrictions

Without judicial relief, abortion will be effectively banned in the state 

Frankfort, KY — Today, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) are filing two individual lawsuits challenging H.B. 3, an anti-abortion omnibus law that effectively bans abortion in Kentucky as of today. H.B. 3, which passed the Legislature late last month, was vetoed by Gov. Andy Beshear on April 8. The Legislature overrode his veto moments ago, immediately putting the slew of abortion restrictions and a 15-week abortion ban into effect.

The lawsuits argue that the law would create unnecessary abortion requirements while simultaneously making those requirements impossible to comply with given the immediate effective date of the law, forcing providers in the state to stop offering abortion services. Because the law is impossible to comply with, it amounts to a de facto abortion ban, thus violating patients’ federal right to abortion under Roe v. Wade.

The ACLU also challenges the 15-week abortion ban.

Statement from Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky:

“Make no mistake: the Kentucky Legislature’s sole goal with this law is to shut down health centers and completely eliminate abortion access in the state. But we haven’t lost hope — we’re getting to work. Trust us when we say that we will do everything in our power to stop this insidious law from preventing Kentuckians from accessing the vital, time-sensitive health care they need and deserve. We are confident that the courts will stop this cruel and unconstitutional omnibus. Everyone deserves to make their own decisions about their bodies, lives, and futures.” 

Statement from Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project:

“The Kentucky legislature was emboldened by a similar 15-week ban pending before the Supreme Court and other states passing abortion bans, including in Florida and Oklahoma, but this law and others like it remain unconstitutional. We urge the court to block this law immediately and ensure that people in Kentucky can continue to access abortion care.”

H.B. 3 would completely and immediately eliminate abortion access in Kentucky by piling on a laundry list of unnecessary abortion restrictions that are impossible for providers to comply with because the Commonwealth has not yet set up the mechanisms for complying with the law. For example, the bill requires registration to provide medication abortion but the Commonwealth has not yet set up that registration process. It would also require egregious reporting requirements that would violate patient privacy. H.B. 3 also includes a 15-week abortion ban, modeled off of Mississippi’s ban which is currently awaiting a ruling at the U.S. Supreme Court.

If this law is not immediately blocked, Kentuckians will be denied their constitutional right to abortion in-state. Those who are able to scrape together resources will be forced to travel out-of-state to obtain the care they need. But many people will not be able to do that, and will be forced to continue their pregnancies. Due to systemic discrimination and racism, which already impose barriers to health care, this law will disproportionately affect the state’s Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities, people with low incomes, and those in rural areas. The reality is that if the bill isn’t blocked, some pregnant people in Kentucky will be forced to remain pregnant at great physical, emotional, and financial cost to them and their existing families. 

The Planned Parenthood lawsuit will be filed on behalf of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky (“PPGNHAIK”), which operates the Louisville Health Center. PPGNHAIK is represented by lawyers from Crowell & Moring, LLP; Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the Louisville firm of Kaplan Johnson Abate & Bird LLP.

The ACLU’s challenge is on behalf of EMW Women’s Surgical Center, which is also represented by O’Melveny & Myers and Michele Henry of Craig Henry PLC.

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Planned Parenthood es el proveedor y defensor líder del país de una atención médica asequible de alta calidad para mujeres, hombres y jóvenes, como también el mayor proveedor del país de educación sexual. Con más de 600 centros de salud en todo el país, las organizaciones de Planned Parenthood atienden a todos los pacientes con cuidado y compasión, con respeto y sin juzgarlos. A través de centros de salud, programas en escuelas y comunidades y recursos en línea, Planned Parenthood es una fuente confiable de información de salud que les permite a las personas tomar decisiones de salud informadas. Hacemos todo esto porque nos preocupamos de manera apasionada de ayudar a las personas a llevar vidas más saludables.