Democrats walk out of Kentucky hearing on legislation dealing with support for nonviable pregnancies

Democratic lawmakers walked out of a Kentucky committee hearing Thursday when the GOP-led panel took up a bill to expand access to prebirth and newborn services for pregnant women carrying nonviable fetuses that are expected to die before or soon after birth, in a state that bans abortion in such cases.

The three Democrats didn't return to the committee room until after Republicans on the House Health Services Committee approved the bill dealing with perinatal palliative care.

“This is not about comforting bereaved parents, as it should be,” Democratic state Rep. Lindsey Burke said afterward. “It’s about making a political statement, and they’re not going to do that on my back.”

Supporters of the bill said it would increase access to compassionate, comprehensive care and support services for families dealing with the devastation of a life-limiting diagnosis for their unborn child. When an infant is expected to live only a short time after birth, it gives parents precious moments to spend time with the child, said Addia Wuchner, executive director of Kentucky Right to Life.

“No matter how extreme an anomaly can be, sometimes just to say hello by holding your child means everything,” she said. “And families should have that opportunity to make those choices.”

“You can’t say goodbye until you’ve said hello,” she added.

Wuchner, a former state lawmaker and prominent abortion opponent, sat next to the bill's sponsor as the two presented the legislation to the House panel.

Abortion-rights supporters said afterward that the bill's intent is to present just one option to parents with a nonviable pregnancy: to carry it to term. They said palliative care should include the option of abortion, which can only be obtained in other