According to House Bill 414 backers, the new provisions — added to perinatal palliative care changes — would ease some concerns doctors have when treating pregnancy complications they fear could lead to lawsuits under Kentucky's strict abortion ban.
Dr. Jeff Goldberg with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists gave an example.
"I have colleagues who treat patients every day across the state who present, for example, with ruptured amniotic membranes — which nearly always leads to serious infection and loss of the pregnancy — but they are concerned under the current statutory language because of the ambiguity that their patient is not seriously infected enough to go ahead and induce the end of the pregnancy," he testified remotely.
Critics, however, called the proposal a "rough draft" and "clear as mud."
"If I thought it was the fix, I would so happily vote for it," Democratic Rep. Lisa Wilner said. "I'm not convinced having not heard from hospital attorneys. I'm not convinced that this protects doctors, and I'm sure that it does not protect pregnant people."
The bill is now on its way to the full Kentucky House.