Washington D.C., Dec 9, 2019 / 09:35 am
Kentucky's ultrasound requirement for abortions survived an appeal to the Supreme Court on Monday as the justices declined to take up a challenge to the law.
Kentucky's law, "The Ultrasound Informed Consent Act," requires abortion doctors to present and describe an ultrasound image of an unborn child to a mother seeking an abortion, along with having to play audio of the baby's heartbeat. Gov. Matt Bevin (R), who recently lost his bid for re-election, signed the bill into law.
Under the legislation, the mother would have the option of refusing to look at the ultrasound image and requesting that the audio of the baby's heartbeat be muted.
In April, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law, a decision that was then appealed to the Supreme Court. The Court's denial of certiorari on Monday leaves in place the Sixth Circuit's decision.