Kansas has recently implemented new measures that require abortion providers to share patient information with the state and provide increased funds to anti-abortion centers. The state has also made it a specific crime to coerce someone into having an abortion. These actions come after the GOP-controlled Legislature overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s vetoes of anti-abortion measures. Additionally, Kansas will offer direct aid and tax breaks to anti-abortion centers, which aim to dissuade people from getting abortions while providing supplies and services.
Despite recent public support for abortion rights in various states following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, anti-abortion groups still wield significant influence over Republican lawmakers across the nation. In Kansas, the state Supreme Court has affirmed abortion rights, while Louisiana’s near-total abortion ban remains in effect following a legal challenge rejection by the state Supreme Court. Democratic lawmakers in Louisiana are pushing bills to add exceptions to the ban, such as in cases of rape and incest, but these proposals face an uphill battle in a GOP-dominated Legislature.
Kansas currently bans most abortions after the 22nd week of pregnancy, with Gov. Kelly consistently vetoing anti-abortion measures passed by the Legislature. A bill aimed at ensuring child support payments apply to fetuses to cover pregnancy expenses is expected to be vetoed as well. Critics believe this measure advances the anti-abortion movement’s goal of giving legal protections to embryos and fetuses. While Kansas has existing laws related to crimes against fetuses, the child support bill is seen as a step towards granting legal rights to fetuses.
The measures implemented in Kansas are viewed by anti-abortion groups as a way to support pregnant women and girls by providing direct aid, tax breaks, and better data collection on abortion. Republicans in Kansas reject the notion that recent public support for abortion rights means lawmakers should stop regulating the procedure. In Louisiana, the only exceptions to the state’s abortion ban are in cases of substantial risk to the patient’s health or when the fetus has a fatal abnormality. Efforts to enshrine reproductive rights in the state’s Constitution have been rejected, with public opinion polls showing opposition to restrictive abortion bans.
During a recent Louisiana House committee review of bills adding exceptions to the abortion ban, Democratic lawmakers passionately argued for exceptions in cases of rape and incest. They questioned why young girls should be forced to give birth after being violated and emphasized the trauma and lack of knowledge in caring for a child in such situations. The committee is expected to take a vote on the bills next week, with efforts to amend them to increase chances of passage. The current Republican governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, replaced a Democrat who supported some abortion restrictions but also backed certain exceptions.
