Republican lawmakers inserted several medical exceptions into Kentucky's near-total abortion ban on Thursday, seeking to offer clarity to doctors fearful of breaking the law for terminating pregnancies while treating expectant mothers with grave complications.

Republicans pass bill to relax and clarify medical exceptions in Kentucky’s near-total ban, in the first major move to modify the strict ban since it became law in 2022.

Kentucky’s abortion ban allows an exception when the life of the mother is at risk, but where does the law draw that line? State lawmakers debated that question at length Thursday before delivering a “clarification” bill to the governor’s desk.

Republicans pushed an unexpected update to Kentucky’s abortion ban through the state legislature this week, passing it in less than 24 hours.