Abortion

Steve Beshear on Abortion

 

• Steve Beshear does not believe life begins at conception. In a 1982 legal opinion he issued as Kentucky Attorney General, Beshear stated that he disagreed with legislation that defined “human being(s)” as “any member of the species homo sapiens from fertilization until death.”^[1]

 

• Steve Beshear does not believe that the unborn are persons. In the same 1982 legal opinion, Beshear stated that the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution did not apply to the unborn because it only applied to “people.” Beshear also said, “…’people’ as used in the First Amendment does not include the unborn.”^[2]

 

• Steve Beshear opposes voluntary and informed consent of pregnant women seeking an abortion. Poviding information to pregnant women seeking an abortion that lists agencies and services available to assist a woman through pregnancy is unconstitutional Beshear said. “[It] places an extra state imposed burden on the abortion decision,” was Beshear’s conclusion in his 1982 legal opinion.^[3]

 

• Steve Beshear opposes a partial-birth abortion ban unless it includes the “Clinton” loophole. In a 1996 Courier-Journal article, Beshear said he could only vote for a ban on partial birth abortions if it included a “broad exception.” Beshear was referring to a ban passed by the U.S. Congress and later vetoed by President Bill Clinton because it did not include such broad exceptions as to render the ban meaningless.^[4]

 

• Steve Beshear used the office of Lieutenant Governor to work against legislation limiting abortion. In 1983, after being sworn in as Lt. Governor, Beshear stated that as the presiding officer of the Kentucky Senate that he would work against “bad legislation” including “certain abortion measures.” Beshear said, “If I feel like there is a bill and it’s bad and shouldn’t be passed, “I’m going to do everything I can do to make sure it doesn’t pass.”^[5]

 

• Steve Beshear believes abortions should be legal. During his 1996 race for the U.S. Senate, Beshear answered the National Political Awareness Test question about his abortion position. Beshear coldly stated, “Abortions should be legally available within parameters of Roe v. Wade.”^[6]