For the first time in a dozen years, legislation championed by pro-life activists appears on track to become law in the commonwealth as a long sought after informed consent bill cleared the House of Representatives in amended form.
An unexpected turn of events early in the 2016 session, the action on Senate Bill 4 comes as shifting political dynamics in the House leave majority Democrats with fewer levers to pull when controlling the flow of legislation. Negotiations over the measure – which restricts how women seeking abortions can satisfy a 24-hour pre-procedure consultation requirement – came to a head Thursday night. The result was a bill mandating either a face-to-face meeting or real-time video conference, and it now heads to the Senate for concurrence.
There, Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer hailed the legislation as a landmark.
"This could be the first bill delivered to Gov. Matt Bevin for his signature into law. A major victory for the unborn here in the Commonwealth of Kentucky," he said on the chamber floor.
Senate President Robert Stivers expects the altered bill to fare well with a majority of the 38-member body, though it could face resistance from a handful of Democrats. During Senate deliberations, Lexington Sen. Reggie Thomas said women understand what it means when they’re told they’re pregnant and an in-person meeting is unneeded.