Kansas legislature passes bill requiring physicians to provide more information to women seeking abortions

The Kansas legislature has advanced a measure that would require physicians to provide more information to patients seeking abortions at least 24 hours before the procedure.

The legislation, which is aimed at updating the 1997 Woman's Right to Know statute, was passed by the House last week by a vote of 84–38. The bill is now headed to Gov. Sam Brownback's desk after the state Senate approved it by a vote of 25–15 on Tuesday.

According to Life News, the bill, known as the Disclose Act, had numerous pro-life co-sponsors, including three state representatives who are also practicing physicians. The measure would require abortion facilities to provide minimum professional information about each abortionist listed on clinics' online informed consent documents.

Kansas City Star noted that the information has to be printed on white paper, in black ink, and in 12 point Times New Roman font.

The document would include education and employment information of the physicians, including any disciplinary actions.

Some lawmakers took issue with the fact that the bill would require information about abortions but would not require similar information regarding other medical procedures.

Sen. Dinah Sykes (R-Lenexa) who described herself as pro-life, suggested that the bill should be sent back to committee to extend the requirement to obstetricians and gynecologists.

Sen. Ty Masterson (R-Andover) contended that abortion should be treated differently because a third person is involved and that consideration should be given to those who are contemplating an abortion as well as to the unborn baby. "That is why the information should be maximized to the person making the decision," he said.

Sen. Steve Fitzgerald (R-Leavenworth) argued that sending the bill back to the committee is an "insincere and deceitful attempt to kill the bill," adding that the measure only intends to make the information easy to read and understandable for the woman making the decision. "I cannot believe that senators would want to oppose that," he remarked.

Shortly after the Senate vote, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes president and CEO Laura McQuade issued a statement denouncing the bill.

"These deeply discriminatory regulations force doctors who provide abortions to meet a set of standards not required of any other physician providing health care in the state," she stated.

"It is disgraceful how extreme legislators dominated this legislative session and focused on creating more barriers to health care at a time when increasing access to health care and better education is the will of the Kansans who elected these legislators," McQuade added.