Kansas Republicans have voted to override Democrat governor’s veto of a bill requiring basic medical care to babies who survive botched abortions, ensuring the new protection will become state law over her objections. The bill also requires that violations be “immediately” reported to law enforcement. Violators would be guilty of a felony and would potentially be liable for civil damages if brought by the mother. Facilities that fail to report violations would be subject to fines.
Wisconsin has passed similar legislation twice in recent years. Our governor also vetoed the bills; but our legislature couldn’t override the vetoes. The proposals are back this session. They’ll likely pass again and will likely be vetoed again. However, it’s always right to fight for our most vulnerable, and surely babies who somehow survive an abortion fall into that category.
