Late last week the Kansas Legislature voted to override Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of a pair of informed consent bills relating to women’s health care.
The first, House Bill 2727, allows plaintiffs to elect to limit recovery in claims brought for violations of the informed consent provisions of the Women ’s-Right-to-Know Act and would not allow parties to the suit to request the convening of a medical malpractice screening panel.
- According to a bill summary, a plaintiff, in any action brought under the Act for an alleged violation of the informed consent requirements, may elect to limit their recovery to:
- Statutory damages not to exceed $5,000;
- Reimbursement of any amounts paid by the plaintiff, or on the plaintiff’s behalf for any abortion sought or performed by the defendant; and
- Reasonable attorney fees incurred in pursuing such action.
Moreover, if a plaintiff elected to limit damages, neither party could request a medical malpractice screening panel.
The Kansas Senate voted 31-8 to override Kelly’s veto, the Kansas House of Representatives voted 87-36 to override.
Kelly also vetoed HB 2729, which also amends the Women’s Right-to-Know Act. The bill standardizes forms and signage about the Right to Know Act and requires that both state the notification is from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
In other words, the bill clarifies that the informed consent information provided under the act is from the state rather than individual abortion providers and would standardize the form of the information provided.
Kelly claimed in her veto messages that the bills were “interfering in women’s health care” and “spreading false information.”
Megan Newman, executive director of Vie Medical Clinic — a pregnancy resource center — in Pittsburg said she was “grateful” for the overrides.
I am grateful to see our state take steps that align with both compassionate care and the protection of life,” Newman said. “It is my hope that this momentum continues, and that we, as a community, remain committed to offering tangible support, encouragement, and dignity to every woman and every child.”
Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson agreed.
“Today we brought state law into line with Kansas values and overrode Laura Kelly’s radical vetoes to guarantee pregnant women’s right to informed consent,” Masterson said in a release. “These common-sense measures are a huge win for mothers and their children.”
Newman said the bills will be a support for women in the state.
“These bills represent a significant and hopeful step toward strengthening support for women, protecting the most vulnerable, and upholding the dignity of life in our state,” Newman said. “In our work each day, we meet women and families in some of the most difficult and uncertain moments of their lives. Many are facing unexpected pregnancies, financial strain, or a lack of support. What they consistently need is not judgment, but compassion, practical resources, and the reassurance that they are not alone. Our mission has always been to walk alongside them with care, offering services such as education, material assistance, and emotional support so they can move forward with confidence and hope.
“As a faith-based organization, our approach is rooted in the belief that every life is created with purpose and value. That belief shapes not only how we serve, but why we serve. We are called to love, to support, and to meet people where they are, extending grace and truth in equal measure. Policies like HB2727 and HB2729 reflect, in part, those same values, recognizing both the needs of women and the inherent worth of the lives they carry.”
