LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The ACLU filed a motion with federal Judge David Hale on Thursday requesting that he order Gov. Matt Bevin to notify the court and the ACLU as soon as he signs House Bill 5, which would ban abortions based on the fetus' race, gender or disability.
Lawmakers passed it with an emergency clause, meaning it would go into effect as soon as Bevin signed it. Bevin did sign HB 5 on Tuesday, and the ACLU said its motion is still pending.
The ACLU said it filed the motion because it wants to know as soon as the bill becomes law. It plans to immediately file suit to block it.
“We are simply asking for notice so that we know, and our clients are on notice, of any potential criminal penalties, and we can ask the court to enjoin the law as appropriate,” said Amy Cubbage, an attorney for the ACLU.
The ACLU said it took the action because of what happened last week after Bevin signed Senate Bill 9, which bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected.
Bevin signed it without public notice, forcing the EMW clinic to briefly shut down until the ACLU blocked the law in court.
“It's a severe disruption to the clinic, to the patients of the clinic,” Cubbage said.
The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment, but Bevin made his thoughts on the ACLU clear in a video he released last week.
Bevin accused the ACLU of caring only about pushing its ideology. He also mocked the organization for threatening to sue, even before HB 5 is signed into law.
“It might be worth a reminder for our friends at the ACLU to be reminded of how the legislative process actually works,” Bevin said in the video. “Some of you might remember Schoolhouse Rock.”
The video then played a clip from “Schoolhouse Rock!” explaining how a bill only becomes law after it is signed.
But the ACLU said despite objections from the bill’s supporters, it is simply trying to uphold federal law.
“Our first duty in this country is to the Constitution,” Cubbage said.
Copyright 2019 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
