LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There’s more conversation around a new constitutional amendment that would ban abortions in the Commonwealth.
Constitutional Amendment 2 would add text to the state constitution that would eliminate the right to an abortion in the state.
An event in Louisville Wednesday evening armed attendees with materials and tips on how to convince Kentuckians to vote "yes" for the amendment in November.
If passed, the amendment to the constitution would eliminate the right to an abortion in the state.
The ballot question reads
Are you in favor of amending the Constitution of Kentucky by creating a new Section of the Constitution to be numbered Section 26A to state as follows: To protect human life, nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion?
Shawn Kenney, who is anti-abortion, believes the meeting clarified what the amendment would do - take away an individual judge's ability to interpret the law.
“I would encourage everyone to vote yes, on the constitutional amendment,” he said. “If it does pass, that's a victory for the people, that the people have preserved their powers and whatever laws their representatives make.”
Addia Wuchner, executive director of Kentucky Right to Life, said she's glad Kenney, and others, walked away empowered.
Wuchner spoke about what she said are misconceptions surrounding women's health, which she said will not be impacted in any way.
“This is a delicate topic,” she said. “There's been a lot, some kind of confusing information, and the voters of Kentucky need to have that chance to ask those questions, and feel like they're getting a truthful answer.”
Pro-abortion groups are getting ahead of the vote as well.
Lawmakers and advocacy groups hosted a panel in downtown Louisville last week.
Speakers said the amendment could have far-reaching implications - raising concerns about maternal mortality, LGBTQ health care and more.
“They're going to use this language to route anything that they do into, you know, their legislation moving forward on,” Tamarra Wieder, state director of Planned Parenthood Advocates, said.
Speakers said if the amendment passes, lawmakers can no longer amend existing laws aimed at limiting abortion in the future.
"The issue is that we as a legislature, or the judiciary, will have no further ability to revisit the issue or to safeguard any access to reproductive rights in our state,” State Representative Nima Kulkarni said.
Amendment 2 will be on the backside of the ballot on election day in November.
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