Kentucky House Passes Bill Restricting Abortions

The Kentucky House of Representatives passed legislation on Tuesday to ban a common abortion procedure beyond the 11th week of pregnancy, in what would be one of the strictest abortion limits in the United States.

The bill, which was approved by the state Senate last week, will now go for approval to Governor Matt Bevin, a Republican who has described himself as, "100 percent pro-life."

The House voted 75-13 in favor of the measure. It previously passed a similar version of the measure but had to approve changes the Senate made. Both bodies are controlled by Republicans.

The procedure covered by the legislation, known as dilation and evacuation, accounts for 16 percent of all abortions performed in Kentucky. It is primarily used for pregnancies in the second trimester. The new law makes an exception for medical emergencies.

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