Catholic Fire

Late Friday evening, as the legislative session was ending, the Kansas legislature passed three pro-life bills that Kansans for Life is confident pro-life Gov. Sam Brownback will sign. Due to late amendments, all the measures were procedurally re-affirmed by both chambers as "conference committee recommendations" and passed by large margins. Pro-Life House Judiciary chair, Lance Kinzer, (R-Olathe), commented, "These measures represent a significant step forward in our ongoing effort to advance thoughtful and targeted legislation that both defends innocent human life and protects women who are so often exploited by the abortion industry." The Pro-life Protections Act of 2013, HB 2253, passed 90-30 in the House and 28-10 in the Senate. It codifies abortion informed consent materials authorized by the state health department, and removes all tax streams that pay for abortion and give advantages to abortion businesses. The informed consent section has an add...

The Unborn Civil Rights bill (SB 142) passed the House tonight by a vote of 89-33. This bill bans 'wrongful birth and wrongful life' lawsuits that claim a disabled child should have been aborted. The Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center (SB 199) also passed the House, by a vote of 90-32 . This unique center will increase treatments of patients in Kansas and the region using non-embryonic (adult and umbilical cord) sources, process and multiply stem cells for wider use in clinical trials, create collaboration between Kansas University and Via Christi Hospitals in these endeavors, and become a global educational clearinghouse for stem cell clinical trials and research. Also,  a resolution commending pregnancy assistance centers in Kansas and the nation, HCR 1606, passed the House 122-0. Three pro-life measures may yet see action next week, after the Easter recess: the Pro-Life Protections Act, the sex selection abortion ban, and the grand jury improvement bill. More to co...