New restrictions aimed at discouraging pregnant women from seeking abortions took effect in Kansas on Monday.
One new law mandates that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment must publish a bi-annual report detailing the reasons why women in the state choose to have abortions. Health care providers are now required to ask women, unless it’s a medical emergency, to select the most significant factor from a list of reasons for seeking the procedure.
Another law that has come into force in the state criminalizes the act of pressuring pregnant women into obtaining an abortion. Those found guilty of violating this law could face a minimum fine of $500 and a 30-day jail sentence.
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Kansas Democratic Governor Laura Kelly vetoed the new abortion restrictions, but her decision was overruled by the Republican-controlled state legislature. In a statement, Kelly stated that she will not sign any legislation that contradicts the majority will of Kansans.
In 2022, a majority of Kansas voters voted to uphold abortion rights in the state constitution, rejecting attempts by the GOP to enforce stricter regulations. This was the first test of public opinion on the issue following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Two years later, the national landscape concerning abortion access remains uncertain, fragmented, and on the brink of the upcoming election. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, 17 states currently have complete abortion bans or bans after six weeks of pregnancy, a time when many women may not yet be aware of their pregnancy. Additionally, eight states have imposed restrictions before viability.
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