The Kentucky Supreme Court on Tuesday night denied Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s emergency request to stop access to abortions in the state.
The decision by the state’s highest court keeps abortions in Kentucky legal at least for the time being.
In a two-paragraph decision, Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr. said the court reviewed the record and denied Cameron’s motion. He added that the order “expresses no opinion on the substantive issues in this matter.”
Earlier Tuesday, abortion providers had asked the high court to rule against Cameron, arguing he had no basis for his appeal.
Cameron, a Republican who is running for governor next year, had asked the Supreme Court to undo a temporary restraining order issued by Jefferson Circuit Judge Mitch Perry.
Perry temporarily suspended the state’s 2019 “trigger” law that banned abortions in the state immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court on June 23 said there is no federal constitutional right to abortions.
The judge also temporarily blocked a law that bans abortions at six weeks of pregnancy. The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Kentucky and Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky had requested the judge’s action in a lawsuit.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals on Saturday agreed with Perry in denying Cameron’s motion to halt the trigger law and the state’s chief law-enforcement official then appealed to the Supreme Court.
“The Kentucky Supreme Court has now denied Cameron’s second attempt to block an emergency order protecting Kentuckians’ rights to privacy, bodily autonomy, and self-determination, as outlined in the state said spokesman Samuel Crankshaw of ACLU of Kentucky, which represents Louisville abortion provider EMW Women’s Surgical Center.
“Kentucky deserves better. Attorney General Cameron has wasted taxpayer dollars and countless court resources, all in a desperate attempt to enforce outright abortion bans that threaten Kentuckians’ most fundamental right to control their own bodies — bans that a majority of Kentuckians oppose.
“This latest victory is temporary but important. Abortion is still legal in Kentucky and people can still get abortions in Kentucky as our lawsuit continues. People in need of care should visit ACLU-KY.org/AbortionResources to learn more about EMW Women’s Surgical Center and Planned Parenthood, and how to seek assistance with costs, transportation, childcare, navigating the healthcare system and more.
“We will bring everything to the fight to ensure all Kentuckians can make the best decisions for themselves and to prevent extremist politicians like Daniel Cameron from forcing people to remain pregnant against their will.”
Cameron was not immediately available for comment.
Abortion providers are to be in Jefferson Circuit Court at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday to seek a temporary injunction of the “trigger law” while their lawsuit is adjudicated.
Jack Brammer is a part-time state reporter covering the Northern Kentucky Tribune state legislative caucus and state politics. Prior to joining the NKyTribune, he was the Frankfort Bureau Chief for the Lexington Herald-Leader, a role he retired from in December 2021 after covering nine Kentucky governors and 58 sessions of the Kentucky General Assembly.
