FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's Democratic attorney general says a bill moving through the Republican-controlled legislature to outlaw abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat is unconstitutional.
Attorney General Andy Beshear, who is running for governor, sent a letter to legislative leaders saying the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled at least eight times that Congress and the states cannot ban abortion before viability. He said that occurs around 24 weeks, adding doctors can detect a fetal heartbeat as early as six weeks.
He says Kentucky would be sued if lawmakers pass the bill and they would lose, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
Republican state Sen. Matt Castlen said every piece of legislation is subject to lawsuits, adding he will continue to fight "for the rights of the unborn."
