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People on both sides of the abortion issue proclaimed victory and defeat in Kansas on Friday after its state governor vetoed tightened regulations for abortion clinics, while signing legislation that requires doctors to collect fetal tissue after abortions performed on minors, to be used in criminal investigations.
On Apr. 15, Governor Kathleen Sebelius approved the Child Rape Protection Act under which doctors must take fetal tissue samples for all abortions performed on girls under 14.
Opponents argue that the new law violates the privacy of patients. Tissue samples along with the patient’s information would be sent to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
Supporters, including pro-life groups, said the new law is necessary to help investigate child rape cases.
The legislation will become law on July 1.
On the same day, Sebelius rejected the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have set minimum health and safety standards for abortion clinics and changed the regulating facility for abortion clinics from the Board of Healing Arts to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
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Abortion rights groups praised Sebelius, saying that the bill targeted abortion clinics with the intention of closing down the facilities. Supporters of the bill argued that the tightened regulations were meant to protect women’s health.
In her veto message, Sebelius criticized legislators, saying, “Once again in 2005, the Legislature has chosen pure politics over good policy, has rejected uniform standards for all procedures, and has instead chosen to regulate only one procedure - abortion.”
Sebelius, who vetoed a similar bill in 2003, emphasized that she “will sign this law when it includes all surgical procedures and all surgical centers to ensure the safety of all Kansans.”
Supporters of the bill, however, have not yet lost hope. The bill passed in the House with 88 votes and in the Senate with 27 votes, enough to override Sebelius’ veto. An attempt to override the veto is likely when the legislature resumes on Apr. 27.
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