Republicans in the Kansas Legislature are moving towards a constitutional amendment that would reverse a Kansas Supreme Court decision on abortion rights — if the measure gets to voters and they approve.
Last year, the Supreme Court voted 6-1, saying the Bill of Rights gives a woman the right to choose whether to continue a pregnancy or whether to have an abortion. Opponents said there was no protection for abortion rights in the state’s territorial constitution when it was drafted in 1859, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal, but that argument was dismissed.
Committee votes in both the House and Senate this week advanced an amendment, House Concurrent Resolution 5019 or the Value Them Both amendment, saying the constitution did not defend abortion rights and state courts should defer to how lawmakers choose to enforce the issue.
Those votes now pave the way for further discussion about putting an amendment on the August primary ballot, not the November general election ballot. Two-thirds of both House and Senate members must vote in favor of the bill. If that happens, a simple majority of voters is needed to enact the new law.
