A proposed new law in Kansas aims to enable pregnant women to seek child support for medical and pregnancy-related expenses from the time of fertilization.
Senator Renee Erickson of Wichita proposed Senate Bill 425, which was deliberated upon in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. The bill seeks to amend a Kansas family statute to define “unborn children” as part of the legal definition of a child, encompassing preborn children at any stage of gestation from fertilization onwards. Courts would be mandated to consider medical and pregnancy-related expenses when determining child support obligations. Notably, the bill excludes costs associated with elective abortions.
Pro-life advocates expressed support for the legislation during the hearing, emphasizing the value of every life and the importance of financially supporting pregnant women. Brittany Jones, director of policy and engagement for Kansas Family Voice said, “We believe that every life is valuable and that every woman should be surrounded by a system of support during her pregnancy.”
However, abortion advocates and medical professionals have strongly opposed the bill, viewing it as a strategy to pave the way for future pro-life measures.
READ: She lost four siblings to abortion. Now she’s pro-life.
According to The Kansas Reflector, critics argue that the bill is a veiled attempt to introduce the concept of “fetal personhood” into state law. Previously, the Kansas Supreme Court rejected an amendment that would have affirmed that there is no right to abortion in the state constitution. According to a previous report from Live Action News, “It would not have banned abortions in Kansas, but would have allowed legislators to enact protections for preborn children in the state. Previously, the Kansas Supreme Court deemed abortion to be a right in the state constitution, making abortion protected by law despite the fall of Roe v. Wade.”
Fetal personhood asserts that life begins at fertilization, advocating for legal rights and protections for preborn children.
Taylor Morton of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes stated, “This tactic undermines the widespread public support for abortion access in Kansas and the ambiguous language in the bill renders it unfeasible.”
Kansas currently lacks provisions for preborn children in its legal framework, as parental relationships are established only after birth and paternity confirmation. However, if enacted, this bill would change that. The state currently allows abortions up to 22 weeks gestation and beyond that if the mother’s life is deemed to be in danger. Induced abortion, however, intentionally and directly kills a preborn child and is not medically necessary. If a pregnancy must end, the preborn child does not have to be directly and intentionally killed before delivery.
Despite Kansas’s status as one of the few states in the region still protecting abortion after the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the GOP-dominated legislature persists in proposing pro-life measures.
Mackenzie Haddix, the spokesperson for Kansans for Life, suggested that this amendment could potentially reduce the number of abortions by providing financial support to expectant mothers. Haddix emphasized, “Ultimately, it’s crucial that no woman feels compelled to resort to abortion as her sole choice.”
