News

Thursday April 8, 2010


Kansas Late-Term Abortion Bill Awaiting Governor’s Signature

April 8, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A bill that would require abortionists to report the reason why they performed abortions after 21 weeks is sitting on the desk of Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson, awaiting his signature.

The measure passed out of the Senate on Tuesday, March 30, in a 24 to 15 vote.

The Associated Press reported Thursday that Gov. Mark Parkinson, an “abortion rights Democrat,” has one more week to decide what to do with the bill.

The bill would supply a layer of accountability to abortionists who have used a mental health exception to the Kansas ban on post-viability abortions to conduct late-term abortions, often for extremely trivial reasons.

Kansas law now states that abortions after viability can only be done if the pregnancy presents a “substantial and irreversible impairment to a major bodily function” of the pregnant woman, which has been interpreted to include mental health risks. In the past, abortionists have only reported that late-term abortions were done for “mental health” reasons. This has prevented law enforcement from ascertaining whether the abortions were done in compliance with the law.

“While we believe that no post-viability abortions are currently being conducted in Kansas, this law will save lives by having the effect of keeping out any late-term abortionist who may be considering moving here,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “Abortionists hate accountability and will be more apt go to a state with less-specific laws.”

A similar bill was vetoed last year by then-Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. Parkinson, an abortion supporter, is also expected to veto the legislation. An attempt to override a veto is also expected.