Cameron, Ky. pro-life group not in support of bill that would prosecute illegal abortion as homicide

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WAVE/WKYT) - Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced he is not supporting House Bill 300. It’s a newly proposed bill where someone could be prosecuted by the state for homicide if they get an abortion illegally.

In Kentucky, by law, criminal homicide means a person ‘is guilty of causing death of another human being under circumstances which constitute murder.’

Currently, under the state’s trigger law, a doctor can be prosecuted for providing abortions, with exceptions to medical emergencies. HB 300 would allow for the pregnant woman and the doctor to be prosecuted, and in Kentucky, that could even carry the death penalty.

“I feel we definitely need to see the humanity in each other again. And we’re losing that in the General Assembly. I think it’s gone too far,” said Jackie McGranahan, policy strategist with the ACLU of Kentucky.

HB 300 was introduced to the Kentucky House of Representatives by Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, on Tuesday.

Cameron supports prohibiting abortions in the Kentucky but says he does not believe that if someone gets an illegal abortion in the state, then they should be charged with homicide.

That’s according to the statement below that was issued Wednesday by his office:

Yesterday, House Bill 300 was filed, and in my view this legislation strikes the wrong balance. If adopted by the General Assembly, this bill would allow pregnant mothers who have an abortion to be criminally charged and prosecuted with homicide.

While I strongly support prohibiting abortions in Kentucky, I just as strongly support helping pregnant women. Pregnant mothers deserve our help, support, and life-affirming options, not to face criminal charges.

Unlike House Bill 300, Kentucky’s current law, the Human Life Protection Act, appropriately values the life of a pregnant woman and her unborn child and does not permit the prosecution of pregnant mothers.

It’s my hope that the men and women of our General Assembly will not pass House Bill 300.

A Kentucky Right to Life representative told us in a statement the organization has a long history of supporting legislative measures to end abortion but says they have never advocated for laws that penalize women.

In Kentucky, almost all abortions are banned.

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