The Kansas Legislature voted to override four vetoes that provide tangible help to pregnant women & families!
Topeka, Kan.
April 29, 2024 – The Kansas Legislature overrode several of Laura Kelly’s vetoes on life affirming bills: Abortion Coercion Act (H.B. 2436), Culture of Life Tax Package (H.B. 2465), the Pregnancy Compassion Awareness Program (line item in S.B. 28), and an update to the Abortion Reporting Act (H.B. 2749). H.B. 2436 passed 28-10 in the Senate and 85-40 in the House. H.B. 2465 passed 29-6 in the Senate and 85-40 in the House. The Pregnancy Compassion Awareness Program passed 28-11 in the Senate and 86-39 in the House. H.B. 2749 passed 27-10 in the Senate and 85-41 in the House.
Brittany Jones, Director of Policy and Engagement, Kansas Family Voice:
“These bills work together to provide a safety net for women and promote life across our state! We are grateful for every single legislator who voted to stand with women and with the entities that serve them across our state. Each one of these bills provides women with support and information during their pregnancies and support families as they seek to care for children in Kansas. Women deserve to be free from coercion. They deserve real information. And they deserve real support during their pregnancies.
The Abortion Coercion Act holds those accountable who may try to coerce a woman into an abortion. It is a bill written specifically to ensure that prosecutors can hold perpetrators of abortion coercion accountable. We know that women who are being trafficked and women in abusive situations are often forced into abortion clinics. These women have often lost their ability to stand up to these individuals. H.B. 2436 changes this dynamic, empowering women to stand up to their abusers.
Pregnancy resource centers provide women with real tangible support during their pregnancies. The pregnancy resource center tax credit and the Pregnancy Compassion Awareness Program help these centers continue to provide information and support to women from all walks of life. And the Abortion Reporting Act helps Kansas know in a timely manner the best way to assist women in their time of need. These bills support a desperately needed network of care for women across our state.
Helping children find a forever home is increasingly difficult and more expensive. We talk to so many families who want to adopt but the price tag makes it impossible for their family. Two components of H.B. 2465 go a long way in helping families financially welcome children in need of a home. Expanding the adoption tax credit and creating adoption savings accounts open the doors for families across our state to lovingly welcome these children into their homes.
We are thankful that these life affirming laws, that lift women & families up, will become law in Kansas!
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Kansas Family Voice is a Christ-centered organization with a vision for a Kansas where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive and life is cherished.
