NRA gun safety training bill moves forward in Kansas, what’s next?
8 March 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Lawmakers in Kansas have introduced seven bills in recent weeks focusing on abortion and transgender rights.
These bills seek to change current state statutes dealing with abortion access, benefits to pregnancy centers and transgender rights. Among the legislation being considered is the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” and the “Women’s Bill of Rights.” Each bill was introduced or sponsored by Republican lawmakers.
These lawmakers received the ire of LGBTQ advocates for putting forth legislation like House Bill 2238 which would require state athletic teams to be designated as either “male,” “female” or “coed/mixed.” The anti-transgender legislation has been regarded by some as efforts to erase trans people, according to the Associated Press. This will be the third year in a row that Republicans have tried to pass the bill under Democratic Governor Laura Kelly.
Legislation such as Senate Bill 180, the first of its kind in the country, would define the term “woman” in state statutes. It would also establish that an individual’s sex would mean an individual’s sex at birth, either male or female. It also received pushback from groups such as the ACLU of Kansas on the basis that it excludes transgender people from certain spaces.
Bills such as House Bill 2429, House Bill 2135 and Senate Bill 96, the “Pregnancy Resource Act,” would promote alternatives to abortion, provide tax credits for those contributing to pregnancy centers or maternity facilities.
Bills focusing on abortion rights and pregnancy centers include:
House Bill 2429
Short title: Establishing the alternatives to abortion program to provide resources and promote childbirth to women facing unplanned pregnancies.
Introduced by: Representative Brenda Landwehr
Recent action: a hearing was held on Tuesday, March 7 at 1:30 p.m.
Introduced: Thursday, Feb. 16
House Bill 2135
Short title: Establishing an income, privilege and premium tax credit for contributions to eligible charitable organizations operating pregnancy centers or residential maternity facilities.
Introduced by: Representative Barb Wasinger
Recent action: Recommendation bill be passed by Committee on Taxation Thursday, Feb. 16
Introduced: Monday, Jan. 23
Senate Bill 96
Short title: Establishing an income, privilege and premium tax credit for contributions to eligible charitable organizations operating pregnancy centers or residential maternity facilities.
Introduced by: Senator Caryn Tyson
Recent action: Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services Wednesday, March 1
Introduced: Tuesday, Jan. 24
Senate Bill 5
Short title: Prohibiting the prescribing of drugs intended to cause an abortion using telemedicine and restricting the governor’s power during a state of emergency to alter such prohibitions.
Original sponsor: Senator Mark Steffen
Recent action: Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services Wednesday, March 1
Introduced: Monday, Jan. 9
Bills focusing on transgender rights include:
Senate Bill 233
Short title: Creating a civil cause of action against a physician who performs childhood gender reassignment service and requiring revocation of a physician’s license who performs childhood gender reassignment service.
Introduced by: Senator Mike Thompson
Recent action: Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services Wednesday, March 1
Introduced: Friday, Feb. 10
Senate Bill 180
Short title: Establishing the women’s bill of rights to provide a meaning of biological sex for purposes of statutory construction.
Introduced by: Senator Renee Erickson
Recent action: Hearing on Monday, March 6 at 1:30 p.m.
Introduced: Tuesday, Feb. 7
House Bill 2238
Short title: Creating the fairness in women’s sports act to require that female student athletic teams only include members who are biologically female.
Introduced by: Representative Barb Wasinger
Recent action: Recommendation bill be passed by Committee on Education Tuesday, March 7
To find out more about these bills, go to the Kansas Legislature’s website by clicking here.