BREAKING: ACLU, ACLU of Kentucky, and Planned Parenthood Ask Kentucky Supreme Court to Block Abortion Bans

FRANKFORT, KY — This morning, the ACLU, the ACLU of Kentucky and Planned Parenthood Federation of America appealed to the Kentucky Supreme Court for emergency relief after a state appeals court allowed two abortion bans to go into effect last night — immediately banning abortion in the commonwealth. Last night’s decision lifted an injunction at the request of Attorney General Daniel Cameron that was blocking two 2019 abortion bans, including a complete abortion ban and a six-week ban. 

Statement from leaders from the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Kentucky, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America on behalf of EMW Women’s Surgical Center and Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai‘i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky: 

“The court’s decision to allow politicians to ban abortion eviscerates reproductive freedom in Kentucky. The ban immediately impacts the nearly one million women and people of reproductive age across the commonwealth by stripping them of their right to access basic care–forcing Kentuckians to once again either flee their community to access abortion if they have the resources to do so, or carry a pregnancy and have a child against their will. While yesterday’s ruling is a setback, this fight is far from over. We’ll continue doing everything in our power to restore abortion access in Kentucky as soon as possible.”

In the lawsuit, EMW Women’s Surgical Center v. Daniel Cameron, Plaintiffs argue that the bans violate the rights to privacy, bodily autonomy, and self-determination guaranteed by the Kentucky Constitution. Plaintiffs EMW Women’s Surgical Center and Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai‘i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Kentucky, Craig Henry PLC, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and O’Melveny & Myers LLP.

View the filing and release on the ACLU-KY website here.