August 2 Constitutional Amendment Question
Together We Can Move Kansas Forward
We have Common Ground
Kansas Voters Agreed that:
- We respect Kansas women and their right to make their own healthcare decisions
- Democratic government should have limits, not overreach
Abortion Access Still Needs Your Vote
The Constitutational Amendment, which would have allowed the Kansas legislature to define and restrict abortion in the state, was rejected by voters 59% no to 41% yes. With this resounding message from Kansans, candidates are still stating publicly that they will support further abortion restrictions:
Candidate for Attorney General Chris Mann has stated that he will not attack a woman’s constitutional rights, while Kris Koback unveiled a new strategy for removing abortion rights.
Governor Laura Kelly voted against abortion restriction while in the Kansas Senate, her opponent, Derek Schmidt, voted for abortion restrictions, supported the amendment, and as KS Attorney General asked the KS Supreme Court to reconsider their earlier ruling.
Candidate for US Senate, Mark Holland, affirms a woman’s right to choose while his opponent, incumbent Sen. Jerry Moran, has a 20-year record of anti-abortion votes. He is currently a co-sponsor for Senate Bill S.4474 Prohibiting Federal Emergencies for Abortion Act. 117th Congress (2021-2022)
Congresswoman Sharice Davids has voted to protect women’s health while her opponent, Amanda Adkins is against it. Congressmen Tracy Mann, Jake LaTurner, and Ron Estes, have all voted against the Women’s Health Protection Act while their opponents, Jimmy Beard, Patrick Schmidt, and Bob Hernandez will sup
The Kansas legislature includes 125 House seats, 86 of which are currently filled by Republicans and 39 are Democrats. Voter guides list Republican candidates as pro-life, making further abortion restrictions highly probable depending on the outcome of the election.
Facts about where we stand Today
Limits and Regulations
- The Kansas Legislature has set limits on abortion and can continue to do so in the future.
- The current intrepretation of the Kansas Constitution by the Kansas Supreme Court ensures that the Kansas Legislature can not put undue limits on abortion.
- Abortions after 22 weeks gestation are currently banned in Kansas, except in cases of probable death or injury to women, and none have been reported after the 2019 Supreme Court decision.
- Kansas abortion clinics are heavily regulated and follow health and safety standards.
- In 2019 the KS Supreme Court held that the Kansas Constitution protects a woman’s right to make decisions about her body, including access to abortion care.
- An abortion bill that banned the “unlawful performance of an abortion and unlawful destruction of a fertilized embryo, except when necessary to save the life the mother” was introduced during the last session.
Health Outcomes
- The procedure used to perform an abortion is used in other instances, such as miscarriage or even cancer removal, and often saves the life of the patient.
- Black women are 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes, making them more vulnerable to the outcomes of legislative action defining and limiting abortion.
Immediate Impacts
The Kansas legislature can still pass laws to further restrict abortion.
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Kansans can challenge any new abortion restrictions in court.
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The Kansas Supreme Court could review the earlier decision and rule differently.
Vote for Candidates who will Move Kansas Forward
With 50 Democrats, 115 Republicans, and virtually no moderates in the current Kansas legislature, compromise rarely occurs. Bills often originate from national political groups rather than Kansas citizens, which is why the same legislation is often passed in Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Nebraska, etc. For Kansas to respect the voice of the people we must first elect legislators who will listen to their constituents and then vote to keep abortion access in Kansas.
With the current makeup of the Kansas Legislature, it makes sense to look to other states, also influenced by these national groups, to consider what type of bills might be introduced by the Kansas Legislature. It is also helpful to see how current Kansas restrictions compare to other states.
