FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky's attorney general says abortions should cease as part of the governor's order halting elective medical procedures due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron made the request Friday to the state's acting health and family services secretary. Cameron is asking the official to certify that abortion providers are violating the ban by continuing to perform abortions. He says such certification would “trigger action” by his office to stop elective procedures during the pandemic.
The state's only abortion clinic is EMW Women's Surgical Center in Louisville. The Courier Journal reported recently that it planned to continue providing abortions.
Cameron's full statement:
“Today, I’m calling on CHFS Acting Secretary Eric Friedlander to certify, pursuant to KRS 15.241, that Kentucky’s abortion providers are violating his ban on elective medical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic by continuing to perform abortions. Kentucky’s current ban on elective medical procedures exists to further the mandated policy of social distancing and to help conserve medical resources for use in fighting COVID-19.
Acting Secretary Friedlander is on the front lines of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am confident that he understands, better than anyone, the necessity of ending abortion procedures during this health crisis. His certification will immediately trigger action by our office to stop elective procedures during the pandemic.
Abortion providers should join the thousands of other medical professionals across the state in ceasing elective procedures, unless the life of the mother is at risk, to protect the health of their patients and slow the spread of the coronavirus.”
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