Kansas OKs Bill De-Funding Planned Parenthood, Hits Abortion

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com
5/13/11

Kansas lawmakers have put the finishing touches on a bill that would shift funding away from the Planned Parenthood abortion business and stops abortion funding in health insurance programs.

The legislation, which pro-life Gov. Sam Brownback is expected to sign soon, follows a new law in Indiana that made the state the first to yank millions from Planned Parenthood by cutting off its revenue stream from Medicaid. The Senate passed the measure Thursday night on a 28-10 vote and the state House followed suit with an 86-30 vote Friday morning.

The insurance portion of the legislation prohibits private health insurance companies from forcing enrollees to pay for abortions and it makes those who want to potentially have abortion coverage pay for an insurance rider. On Planned Parenthood, the measure has the state budget directing over $300,000 in Title 10 money to local full-service health clinics instead of Planed Parenthood and it places $300,000 into the Stan Clark grant-matched fund for pregnancy support and adoption counseling. the rest