KS will require abortion providers to tell patients pill is reversible through unproven method
Beginning in July, Kansas providers will be required to tell patients the effects mifepristone, the first of two pills taken in a medication abortion, are reversible — even though that isn’t proven.
Kansas lawmakers successfully overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of the policy Thursday, three years after they failed to override her on the same policy by just one vote.
The Kansas Senate voted 29 to 11 to override Kelly’s veto Thursday. The House voted 84 to 40 the previous day, meeting the two-thirds majority needed for an override.
In addition to requiring notification that mifepristone can be reversed, the bill redefines abortion in Kansas statute to specifically exclude contraceptives, miscarriage care and ectopic pregnancy care.
The procedure to “reverse” a medication abortion is based upon limited studies that have been criticized as insufficient to prove the procedure works and is safe. The procedure involves providing a woman who has taken the first pill in a medication abortion with progesterone, which is often used to prevent miscarriage.
Proponents of the bill argued any abortion patient should know this is an option if they come to regret their decision before taking the second medication.
“By denying her that information the abortion industry is essentially forcing her to complete an abortion she no longer wants,” Jeanne Gawdun, a lobbyist for Kansans for Life, said.
The bill only applies to abortions with mifepristone, which is currently the subject of a federal lawsuit seeking to remove it’s FDA approval. The notice would not be necessary if providers only use the second medication, misoprostol.
Advocates for the bill cited a case study from an anti-abortion doctor in California that found the progesterone worked to halt abortions for about two-thirds of women. But the study lacked a control group so it’s unclear if the progesterone was needed or if the abortion would have been halted if the patient just didn’t take the second pill.
Anamarie Rebori-Simmons, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, said the policy would hurt Kansans.
“Now, doctors will be forced to lie to patients about dangerous claims of so-called ‘abortion pill reversal’ that defy evidence-based medicine,” she said in a statement.
Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, said the continued push of anti-abortion policies proved the Legislature had not heard Kansans when they voted to preserve abortion rights last year.
“Overwhelmingly women and men — Republicans, independents, Democrats — said legislators do not belong in my doctors’ office,” Sykes said. “Continuing to take that attack because they feel they know better than the average Kansan how to deal with their day to day issues.”
In addition to the pill reversal bill, the House and Senate also successfully overrode Kelly Wednesday on another anti-abortion bill requiring care for infants “born alive” in an abortion. The Senate sustained Kelly’s veto on a bill making it harder for providers to access liability insurance.
The House and Senate also overrode Kelly’s line-item veto of $2 million in the state budget for anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers.
The Senate voted Thursday to send a tax package to Kelly’s desk that includes tax credits for anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers alongside a wide range of other small tax items.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated how the bill redefines abortion. It will exclude contraceptives, miscarriage care and ectopic pregnancy care.
This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 11:58 AM.
