|
Listen to this article here
|
ATLANTA, Ga. – Georgia governor and 2022 gubernatorial incumbent Brian Kemp is trending on Twitter again today, leaving voters wondering if he’ll place a ban on Plan B if reelected. This comes after a student at the University of Georgia’s College Republicans tailgate party asked Kemp if it’s possible to ban Plan B, the morning-after emergency contraceptive pill to prevent pregnancy.
In the now viral audio recording, Kemp can clearly be heard saying that it would be possible to place a ban on Plan B in a legislative session.
Does Gov. Brian Kemp support a Plan B ban?
“You can take up pretty much everything you need, but you gotta be in the legislative session to do that, and that doesn’t start until January,” Governor Kemp said in response when asked if he could ban Plan B.
While Kemp is never explicitly heard saying that he supports a Plan B ban in the audio recording, when directly asked if he supports it, the Governor is heard saying that he would have to see if it’s possible to place a ban due to the legality involved.
The conversation was interpreted by many in the Twitterverse as Kemp admitting he would be willing to ban emergency contraception.
However, a spokesperson for Brian Kemp seemingly cleared any confusion, stating, “The governor has never opposed access to contraception, and – despite the attempts of desperate democrats and their media allies to spread a complete lie – the full audio proves the governor’s position remains the same.”
There’s a reason why Georgians have reason to be concerned about state Republicans stripping access to Plan B.
GOP Lawmakers in various states have proposed cutting access to Medicaid paying for contraceptives. Many conservatives argue that life begins at conception and see using Plan B as another form of abortion and refuse to support it with their taxes.
According to the Women’s Center, Plan B uses the hormone levonorgestrel to change a woman’s cervix, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus and harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus. Moreover, if a fertilized egg has already been implanted in the uterus before Plan B is taken, Plan B will not work.
Currently, Georgia is one of several states with a heartbeat law that bans abortions at six weeks when a heartbeat can typically be detected during the early stages of pregnancy. Brian Kemp signed that legislation into law on May 7, 2019.
Subsequently, an injunction was sought by the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, and the Center for Reproductive Rights in June 2019. Shortly after, a stay was granted by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, which ruled that the heartbeat law violates the constitutional right to privacy.
However, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe, the Eleventh Circuit lifted the stay and allowed the law to take effect.
Governor Brian Kemp faces a tight mid-term election race against Georgia Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams, and abortion among other issues is on the ballot.