The last two days have proved where the Kansas Legislature’s priorities are not: protecting the health and access to medical care of Kansas women and their families.  Yesterday, the House passed HB 2035, this year’s Omnibus Abortion Restriction Bill and HB 2218, the Pre-Viability Ban, also referred to as the “Fetal Pain” bill.  And, today, the House passed H Sub SB 36, Targeted Regulation Against Abortion Providers (TRAP).

“All three bills will have very serious repercussions for health and safety of Kansas women,” said Julie Burkhart, Founder and Executive Director of Trust Women Political Action Committee.  “There is no public health crisis surrounding reproductive health care.  These bills are not about making women safer; they are about the further restriction of access to a safe and legal medical procedure.”

“In all actuality, all three pieces of legislation put pregnant women at risk,” continued Burkhart.   HB 2035 would force young women in incest or domestic violence situations to navigate intricate and likely-biased judicial proceedings in order to circumvent the double parental consent provision included in the bill, HB 2218 would force women to potentially risk their future fertility should they be alerted of a fetal indication past 22 weeks and H Sub SB 36 threatens access to abortion services by imposing further restrictions on physicians who already abide by stringent regulations.

“Passing legislation that treats one set of physicians differently than the rest is just plain bad public policy,” said Burkhart.  “There are already mechanisms in place dictating the regulation of medical professionals.  At a time when Kansans are in need of jobs, quality public education and health care, legislating hundreds of new restrictions through H Sub SB 36 is no way to help the women of Kansas.”

###