Brian Kemp on Reproductive Rights

Reproductive Rights

Abortion, Generally

Kemp Said Georgia Was “Fighting To Protect Life At All Stages” After The Opening Of A “Maternity Supportive Home.” According to Kemp's Twitter, “In Georgia, we’re fighting to protect life at all stages. I’m proud our citizens are answering the call to serve their fellow Georgians and taking advantage of the resources available to them through the recently signed Betsy’s Law.” [Twitter, @GovKemp, 6/24/22]

Kemp Called Roe W. Wade A “Bad Ruling To Start With” And Said He Wanted To “Support The Pro-Life Movement Further With Different Benefits.” According to WTOC, “Governor Brian Kemp gave his reaction to the ruling this past weekend. He called Roe V. Wade a bad ruling to begin with and is pushing for the Heartbeat Bill hoping that this decision will help get it implemented in Georgia soon. ‘We feel like the ruling will help us get the heartbeat bill implemented. That’s what I would like to see, what the General Assembly voted on but I think it’s also now time for the pro-life movement to step up and say, ‘how can we support these mothers, how can we support the pro-life movement further with different benefits.’ And if you look at how the legislation works in the heartbeat bill, we did a lot of that thinking through that, but we got to continue to do more of that,’ said Governor Kemp.” [WTOC, 6/27/22]

Fetal Heartbeat Bill

May 2019: Kemp Signed Six-Week “Fetal Heartbeat” Abortion Ban Into Law. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “When Gov. Brian Kemp signed one of the nation's strictest anti-abortion bills into law on Tuesday, he made good on a campaign promise but also set the stage for a legal battle that the legislation's critics hope will spill over to the polls in 2020. Supporters filled a ceremonial room in Kemp's office and applauded House Bill 481, which outlaws most abortions once a doctor can detect a fetus' ‘heartbeat’ — usually about six weeks into a pregnancy and before many women know they're pregnant.” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5/7/19]

• Kemp’s Six-Week Abortion Ban Was Struck Down By Federal District Judge, Awaited 11th Circuit Court Of Appeals Decision. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “A federal appeals court said Monday that it will hold off deciding the fate of Georgia’s 2019 anti-abortion law until the U.S. Supreme Court issues a ruling on a similar lawsuit out of Mississippi. A panel of three judges on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it will wait until the Supreme Court rules in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Mississippi’s ban on most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. That hearing is scheduled for Dec. 1, with a ruling expected sometime next year. […] The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, on behalf of the abortion rights group SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice and several abortion providers, sued Gov. Brian Kemp and other state officials in 2019. A federal district judge struck down the law in 2020, blocking it from taking effect, and the state filed its appeal shortly after the ruling.” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 9/27/21]

Kemp Said He Was “Confident” That Georgia’s Abortion Ban Would “Soon Be Fully Implemented.” According to Kemp's Twitter, “JUST FILED: We are continuing our legal efforts in light of the new United States Supreme Court precedent with renewed momentum, and we’re confident that Georgia’s LIFE Act will soon be fully implemented.” [Twitter, @GovKemp, 6/24/22]

When Asked If Kemp Would Further Restrict Abortion, Kemp’s Spokesperson Said His Focus Was On “Defending And Implementing” The Heartbeat Bill. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “When asked if Gov. Brian Kemp planned to pursue legislation that would further restrict abortion, a spokesman said the governor’s ‘focus is on defending and implementing the law that was passed in 2019.’” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 6/25/22]

Georgia Right To Life Called On Kemp To Codify “Personhood Rights” In The Constitution, Which Could End In Vitro Fertilization. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “A six-week abortion ban like the one Georgia has passed isn’t enough for some anti-abortion leaders. On Monday, Georgia Right to Life pressed Gov. Brian Kemp to call a special session to pass legislation that would enshrine so-called personhood rights in the constitution. The move would legally define life as being ‘at any stage of development from fertilization to natural death,’ a step that in vitro fertilization experts have said would essentially end the practice in the state.” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 6/28/22]

• Kemp’s Office Responded By Saying Their Focus Was Implementing The Heartbeat Bill. According to Georgia Recorder, “In an emailed statement, Kemp’s office indicated that the current priority is making sure the so-called LIFE Act survives its court challenge. ‘In Georgia, we are focused on ensuring that our existing law, the Georgia LIFE Act, to protect the unborn is fully implemented,’ said communications director Katie Byrd. ‘We are currently fighting a legal challenge (Sistersong v. Kemp) to that law before the 11th Circuit. On Friday June 24, 2022, our legal team filed a notice requesting the 11th Circuit to reverse the District Court’s decision and allow Georgia’s law to take effect.’” [Georgia Recorder, 6/27/22]

Reaction to Dobbs

Brian Kemp On SCOTUS Overturning Roe V Wade And Impact On GA Heartbeat Bill: “We're Going To End Up In A Supreme Court One Day Unless This Ruling Comes Out And Changes That And It Becomes The Law Of The Land. And I'm Very Proud Of That, It Is The Strongest Pro-Life Legislation In The Country.” Well, it's you know, I think it's tragic that the draft leaked like that, it's obviously a political ploy by somebody, but that doesn't change the fact that Georgia, by one vote, I might add, because of our hard work and really pushing and working with the General Assembly, passed the heartbeat bill. And we stood up to the cancel culture in Hollywood and we continue to fight that in the court of law. And we're going to end up in a Supreme Court one day unless this ruling comes out and changes that and it becomes the law of the land. And I'm very proud of that, it is the strongest pro-life legislation in the country. But I also think it makes sense. You know, what we did makes a lot of sense. But we have a you know, we have a strong value of life, not just at the heartbeat with that legislation, but we've done adoption reform, foster care reform. Marty Kemp has done more than anyone in the country to raise awareness on ending human trafficking and going after the perpetrators and supporting the victims. Really, we are the voice of all those people that are out there and have been in the trenches for decades doing this. And we're glad to be in the fight with them and just can't thank them enough for what they're doing. But that's our values and our state. And it always has been. [Martha Zoller Show, 05/03/22]

Brian Kemp Statement On Roe V Wade: “Georgia Is A State That Values Life At All Stages “Georgia is a state that values life at all stages. We look forward to the court issuing its final ruling, however, this unprecedented beach of U.S. Supreme Court protocol is deeply concerning.” [WAGA-ATL (FOX), 5/3/22]

HEADLINE: “In Georgia, Republicans Running For Governor Are Racing To The Extreme On Abortion” [Salon, 5/6/22]

Kemp Said He “Led The Fight To Pass The Strongest Pro-Life Bill In The Country And Championed The Law Throughout A Lengthy Legal Process.” According to Salon, “Georgia gubernatorial candidate David Perdue on Thursday challenged Gov. Brian Kemp's stance on abortion, pressuring the Republican to schedule a special session on the enforcement of a statewide abortion ban if the Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 law establishing America's constitutional right to abortion. […] On Tuesday, the governor reiterated that he ‘led the fight to pass the strongest pro-life bill in the country and championed the law throughout a lengthy legal process.’” [Salon, 5/6/22]

Kemp Celebrated The Three Year Anniversary Of Signing The Heartbeat Bill And Said He Would Lead The Fight To Protect The Unborn. According to Kemp's Twitter, “Three years ago today, I signed the Heartbeat Bill into law. Whether it’s protecting the unborn, ending human trafficking, or passing historic adoption and foster care reforms, Georgia is a state that values life. As Governor, I'm proud to lead that fight!” [Twitter, @BrianKempGA, 5/7/22]

Kemp Tweeted Out A Statement In Support Of Overturning Roe V. Wade And Said He Would “Fight For The Strongest Pro-Life Law In The Country.” According to Kemp's Twitter,

[Twitter, @GovKemp, 5/3/22]

Kemp’s Spokesperson Said He Looked Forward To The Final Roe V. Wade Ruling But Found The Leak “Deeply Concerning.” According to FOX 5 Atlanta, “A statement from Gov. Brian Kemp spokesperson Katie Byrd affirmed his pro-life stance but took issue with the apparent leak from the typically airtight Supreme Court. ‘Georgia is a state that values life at all stages. Governor Kemp led the fight to pass the strongest pro-life bill in the country and championed the law throughout legal challenges. We look forward to the Court issuing its final ruling, however, this unprecedented breach of U.S. Supreme Court protocol is deeply concerning.’” [FOX 5 Atlanta, 5/3/22]

Kemp Tweeted That “Any Who Seek To Manipulate Their Fundamental Rights To Incite Violence” Would Be “Held Accountable” Following The Start Of Pro-Choice Protests. According to Kemp's Twitter,

[Twitter, @GovKemp, 6/24/22]

Kemp Supported A Texas-Style Abortion Ban In Georgia

VIDEO: Kemp Said He Would Support A Texas-Style Abortion Ban In Georgia. According to WXIA, “KEMP: We’re going to stay in the fight on the heartbeat bill. You know, we certainly appreciate what they did in Texas. HOST: Governor Brian Kemp signed the heartbeat bill into law in 2019 and now says he will back legislative efforts to give his legislation Texas-style legal standing. KEMP: We think it will be successful and we’ll continue to see how the Texas case moves along and work with the legislature on anything that they want to do that would be pro-life.” [WXIA, 9/16/21]

Contraception

AUDIO: Kemp Claimed He Had “No Idea About” Griswold v. Connecticut. [Brain Kemp, 6/07/22]

HEADLINE: “Brian Kemp Supports Birth Control Bans Despite Not Knowing Of Supreme Court Case That Legalized Contraceptives” [Heartland Signal, 6/7/22]

When Asked About Griswold V. Connecticut, Kemp Said “No Idea About That” And “I Would Have To Look At That.” According to Heartland Signal, “Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) admitted last month that he is not aware of the landmark Supreme Court birth control case Griswold v. Connecticut, even as he supports legislation that could ban birth control. An audio clip of Kemp at a reelection campaign event supposedly shows the governor saying he does not know about the case when asked about it by an unnamed person recording. ‘No idea about that,’ Kemp tells the person recording. ‘I would have to look at that. Want an email or something?’” [Heartland Signal, 6/7/22]