Judge Strikes Down Kentucky Abortion Ultrasound Law

A federal judge has struck down a Kentucky law that required doctors conducting abortions to perform an ultrasound on patients and describe the image of the fetus before the procedure. U.S. District Judge David Hale issued an opinion late Wednesday finding that the law, House Bill 2, violated physicians’ free speech and “appears to inflict psychological harm on abortion patients.” Hale wrote, “Requiring physicians to force upon their patients the information mandated by H.B. 2 has more potential to harm the psychological well-being of the patient than to further the legitimate interests of the Commonwealth.” In the end, Hale’s ruling sided in favor of the American Civil Liberties Union, which challenged the law on behalf of the state’s only abortion provider.