Beech Tree News Network

BELTON, KY— The Interim Joint Committee (IJC) calendar was approved April 21st and is available at legislature.ky.gov; scroll to the bottom of the page to Calendars and choose Interim Calendar. Standing committee meetings begin on Thursday, June 2 and run through November. Some statutory committees meet in December.

I want to continue to recap the 2022 Regular Session and share significant pieces of legislation signed into law. Some may appear repetitive, however, bills can drastically change throughout the legislative process before being finally passed over the last few days of session.

This weeks’ focus will be on access to quality healthcare. Unfortunately, since Kentucky leads the nation in cancer, high blood pressure, and so many other health conditions, one of our biggest priorities continues to be finding ways to improve quality care as well as access to it.

HB 3, the Humanity in Healthcare Act, is an omnibus bill that included several pieces of important policy changes to protect teenage girls, women, and the unborn. It addresses several abortion-related issues some of which are chemical abortions, informed consent, the dignified disposal of fetal remains, parental consent, and probably one of the most significant changes is moving the 20-week ban on abortion in Kentucky to a 15-week ban in anticipation of the Supreme Court’s upcoming ruling on the Dobbs case in Mississippi.

Currently, chemical abortion pills are readily available over the internet with little to no oversight. The FDA no longer regulates the online sale of these drugs; so essentially, anyone with a credit card and access to the internet can purchase and self-administer anywhere.

Without oversight, there is no one holding the companies producing these drugs accountable. HB 3 requires a physician’s involvement regardless of whether they administer the drug to the teenager or woman themselves at an abortion clinic and they observe them throughout the process, write the prescription for them to obtain from a pharmacy, or if the teenager or woman purchases them online. An in-person visit must take place prior to any of these options for a physical exam to ensure the teenager or woman does not have an ectopic pregnancy or other potential complications. It is simply safe healthcare for the teenager or woman. If a female has an ectopic pregnancy and is not aware and takes the chemical abortion pills, they could rupture and bleed out.

Additionally, the abortionist is required to inform the teenager or woman that the reversal of a chemical abortion is possible within a critical window of time if they change their mind. That is full, informed consent required for every other medical procedure. At least two pregnancies have been reversed here in Kentucky that resulted in healthy babies with zero negative impacts.

The dignified disposal of fetal remains after an abortion requires that the parents receive notice of their right to take responsibility or relinquish their child’s remains within 24 hours of the abortion. Under HB 3, babies’ remains cannot be treated as pathological waste, disposed of as medical waste, or sold.

The strengthening of parental consent portion was actually HB 324 of which I was the primary sponsor. It will require greater efforts to ensure that a minor’s parents or legal guardian do in fact know that their minor child is seeking an abortion by making sure it is actually a parent or guardian who is giving them permission to do so.

In a day when a school nurse cannot administer an aspirin or Tylenol without a parent’s permission and notification, it is even more important for them to know if their child is seeking a major procedure such as a surgical or chemical abortion. There are exceptions for violence or abuse if a parent is the perpetrator.

This bill was very controversial and arguments against did not focus on the fact that this will make girls and women safer in the abortion arena of healthcare in Kentucky, just that abortions were going to be more restricted. Besides addressing safety concerns of girls and women, arguments for also pointed out there never seem to be any concerns for the rights or safety of babies.

Unfortunately, a U.S. District Court Judge has placed a temporary stay on the law. The Attorney General’s office is committed to defending it in court. A hearing is to take place on Monday, May 2 in Louisville at the Gene Snyder U.S. Courthouse.

HB 317 requires health insurance companies to treat premium and other cost-sharing payments made by non-profits on behalf of someone as if those payments came from the individual and apply towards their deductible. This is particularly important for those with extremely expensive procedures such as transplants.  

HB 364 expands the Rural Hospital Loan Fund to allow loan monies to be used to repurpose former hospitals and medical infrastructure. It also incentivizes the new facility to hire local citizens. While our local hospitals are in good shape, I am glad this program is in place in case we ever do have issues in the 15th District.

HB 512 establishes the foundation of a coordinated heart attack system of care. Hospitals will be classified as a Level I, II, or III for heart attack care. The goal is to ensure every Kentuckian has timely access to quality care with a seamless transition from one level of care to another, while simultaneously increasing both communication and collaboration between hospitals and EMS around the Commonwealth.

I had the opportunity to make several events over the past week in all three counties. I was able to attend the Taste of Hopkins County, Muhlenberg Champions Against Drugs monthly meeting, Barren River Area Development District (BRADD) monthly meeting and give a legislative update, Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting, as well as visit both city and county offices in Butler County. I gave an update on tornado relief still available to both city/county governments and individuals at the Bremen City Council monthly meeting.

As always, I welcome your comments and concerns on any issue and can be reached, regardless of if in session or not, through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at-1-800-372-7181, at 502-564-8100, Ext. 59010, or via email at [email protected]

Please follow me on Facebook @melindagibbonsprunty. You can also keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation by visiting our website at https://legislature.ky.gov and watch both live and recorded meetings on YouTube at KY LRC Committee Meetings or on Kentucky Educational Television at https://ket.org/legislature.

Note: Representative Melinda Gibbons Prunty represents the 15th House District. She is Vice-Chair of both the Health & Family Services Committee and the Budget Review Sub-Committee on Health & Family Services. She serves on the Appropriations & Revenue, Education, and Natural Resources & Energy Committees as well as Medicaid Oversight & Advisory and the Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening & Prevention Advisory Committees.