Kentucky's current abortion laws provide for exceptions only in cases when the procedure is necessary to save the life of the mother or to prevent severe injury — language Gov. Andy Beshear repeatedly labeled extreme during his reelection campaign.
It was during his during that campaign that voters heard directly from Owensboro-native Hadley Duvall, a young woman who spoke candidly about being raped by her stepfather at 12 in an ad directed at Beshear's Republican opponent, Daniel Cameron.
Tuesday, Duvall again spoke out, this time in the Capitol Rotunda, as a bill dubbed "Hadley's Law" was introduced.
"There are women and girls across Kentucky right now who are dealing with the same trauma that I went through," Duvall said. "Those women and girls need their choices. This bill will provide those."
The legislation creating those new exceptions is sponsored by Sen. David Yates, a Louisville Democrat. As for its chances, there are hints the bill could gain traction in the GOP-dominated legislature. Senate President Robert Stivers has said he won't block the measure if it's the will of the Republican majority.
"There is definitely discussion about exceptions and what may happen," the Senate leader told reporters last week.
Yates' bill would create exceptions for survivors of rape or incest, nonviable pregnancies, and the health of a pregnant woman.
