Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt is asking the state Supreme Court to put any discussions on a constitutional amendment regarding abortion on hold with the topic on the August 2022 ballot.
Schmidt’s request comes as the appeal of Hodes & Nauser v Schmidt advances in court. In a ruling dating back to 2019, the Supreme Court said Kansas residents have a right to an abortion. Republican lawmakers then offered a proposed amendment, called the “Value Them Both” amendment, which “would affirm there is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion.”
Schmidt says pausing any court-related decisions on the current appeal will save time and money before the vote next summer. A two-thirds majority was needed for the amendment to be on the ballot. A simple majority is needed for the new measure to be added to the state constitution.
