Even though voters in Kansas directly rejected additional abortion restrictions at the ballot box last year, Republicans in the state are pushing a rollback on reproductive rights as the new legislative session starts. This week, they introduced a bill that would allow city and county governments to initiate abortion restrictions that are stricter than at the state level.
Christopher Wilson, Yahoo NewsEven though voters in Kansas directly rejected additional abortion restrictions at the ballot box last year, Republicans in the state are pushing a rollback on reproductive rights as the new legislative session starts.
This week, that would allow city and county governments to initiate abortion restrictions that are stricter than at the state level.a 2019 decision by the state Supreme Court that found that the state's constitution"enables a woman to make decisions regarding her body, health, family formation, and family life, including the decision whether to continue a pregnancy." The amendment sponsored by the GOP, known as Value Them Both, would not have banned abortion in the state. Instead, it would have affirmed “there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion” and would have opened the door for the Republican-controlled Legislature to pass further restrictions. Roughly 60% of voters opposed it in a state where Republican presidential candidates have earned 55% of the vote in recent cycles. In November, Kansans narrowly reelected Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who had campaigned for abortion rights. This has not slowed Kansas Republicans. According to Senate Bill 65, the new GOP proposal, “Nothing shall prevent any city or county from regulating abortion within its boundaries as long as the regulation is at least as stringent as or more stringent than imposed by state law. In such cases, the more stringent local regulation shall control.”, who introduced the bill."In my district, I have many constituents that are very concerned still about the unborn in our state, and so I introduced legislation today to be had with local constituents, local governments." Abortion is currently legal in Kansas until the 22nd week of pregnancy. There are additional restrictions on providers and funding, and minors generally need permission from both parents or legal guardians to undergo the procedure. Anamarie Rebori Simmons, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, told Yahoo News in a statement: “The irony of this bill is too much.” “The party that tried to remove fundamental protections from the state constitution didn’t get the outcome they wanted when Kansans overwhelmingly supported abortion access,” Simmons wrote. “This is an attempt to blatantly disregard the will of the people. Abortion rights won in a landslide, including in the home county of the bill’s sponsor. Politicians serve as the voice of the people in the Legislature, and Republican lawmakers should know better than to silence those they represent.”earlier this month that would ban the prescription via telemedicine of abortion pills or drugs used to induce abortions. While Kansas voters opted for abortion rights in voting down the amendment and by reelecting Kelly, Republican legislators enjoyed a comfortable 2022 midterm, maintaining their supermajority in the statehouse while campaigning on further restrictions of reproductive rights. With that supermajority, they can overturn any potential veto from Kelly. So a united caucus could enact whatever legislation it pleased, with or without a signature from the Democratic governor., Senate President Ty Masterson said that the Senate would be looking at a number of options regarding abortion in the state, stating that he felt it was actually Democrats who supported the most radical view. "I think probably the biggest question to be answered is: It goes to autonomy, and when does the young lady in utero receive her autonomy, and what are the rights of that person and when does that begin?"
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Kansas Republicans introduce new abortion restrictions in the LegislatureVoters in Kansas directly rejected additional restrictions on abortion at the ballot box last year, but state Republicans are trying to roll back reproductive rights as the new legislative session starts. This week, they introduced a bill to allow city and county governments to initiate abortion restrictions stricter than at the state level.
Read more »