ACLU of Kentucky

Free speech unplugged, unfettered. With a handheld camera, Anthony Romero, director of the ACLU, documented the debate for and against same-sex marriage. While legal arguments were made inside the California Supreme Court, the crowd gathered outside made their public opinion arguments known. It's a true First Amendment moment, where all points of view are defended by the ACLU.

 Watch the video here:  Free speech, for better or worse

The Kentucky’s General Assembly adjourned the 2009 session on Thursday without passing any anti-choice legislation.  Anti-abortion rights legislators introduced four different bills that attacked women’s health care.  With help from legislators in the House and Senate we defeated all four bills.

Three of the bills died in Committee, while Senate Bill 79 passed the Senate and died in the Health and Welfare Committee in the House.  SB 79 would make every woman undergo a (medically unnecessary) ultrasound prior to an abortion and the person performing the ultrasound would have to describe the results of the ultrasound.  The bill allows for the woman to “avert her eyes,” but she would still have to hear the results of the ultrasound.  The second part of this bill would require a woman to travel to the abortion facility 24 hours prior to the medical procedure to receive state mandated materials and lecture/counseling.  Currently, women can receive these materials through the mail and receive the state mandated lecture/counseling over the phone.

Fortunately, Kentucky’s House of Representatives did not take up this legislation for a floor vote.  We owe a special thank you to Senators Denise Harper Angel, Gerald Neal, Tim Shaughnessy, and Kathy Stein.  These were the only four Senators courageous enough to vote against SB79. We also owe a thank you to the eight members of the Health and Welfare Committee who voted against the bill.  Those members are Representatives Tom Burch, Ruth Ann Palumbo, Susan Westrom, Dr. David Watkins, Darryl Owens, Mary Lou Marzian, Joni Jenkins, and Reginald Meeks.   None deserve our praise more than Representative Meeks.  An unknown member or members of the General Assembly threatened Representative Meeks in order for him to vote for SB 79.  Representative Meeks stood up and told the committee that he would have his vote held hostage and voted against the bill.

YOU DID IT!  The anti-adoption bill was stopped in 2009!

Thank you for your Vigilance in calling your Senators to stop SB68, the anti-adoption bill.  Your voices were heard and the General Assembly session ended on Thursday, March 26th without passing this piece of hurtful legislation.  We will be working with our allies during the interim months to prepare a strategy for defeat during the the 2010 Legislative Session should the legislation reappear.  Sign up for our Action Alerts to receive periodic updates throughout the year on this and many more issues!

The Human Rights Campaign Issued a Press Release highlighting this victory!

Bill Seeking to Ban Adoption, Foster Parenting By Unmarried Couples Dies in Kentucky Legislature
 
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, issued the following release with regard to reports that Senate Bill 68, a bill that would prohibit adoption or foster parenting by any person “cohabiting with a sexual partner outside of a marriage that is valid in Kentucky”,  has died in the Kentucky legislature.  The Kentucky House of Representatives adjourned without voting on the legislation, which had been approved by a Senate committee and was pending in the Senate.  Kentucky’s legislative session ends March 30.
 
For the full press release click Read More button below