Culture war clash gives Kansas new medication abortion law
Kansas clinics will be required to tell patients that medication abortions can be stopped using a drug regimen that the providers consider ineffective and potentially dangerous
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas clinics will be required to tell patients that medication abortions can be stopped using a drug regimen that the providers consider ineffective and potentially dangerous after a key legislative vote Thursday in the nation's ongoing partisan battle over culture war issues.
The Republican-controlled state Senate voted 29-11 along party lines to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of the medication abortion “reversal” measure. The GOP-controlled House overrode the veto Wednesday on an 84-40 vote, and the new law takes effect July 1.
Kelly vetoed more than a dozen bills restricting abortion providers, rolling back transgender rights or enacting other conservative policies that have been pursued by Republicans across the U.S. With top GOP lawmakers prevailed on a majority of the Kansas measures, Kelly had some key victories.
Republicans moved ahead on anti-abortion measures despite a decisive statewide vote in August 2022 affirming abortion rights. Democrats accused abortion opponents of breaking faith with voters, but Republicans argued that the vote didn't preclude “reasonable” restrictions on providers.
