Kansas measure on abortion advances

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas House voted 85-38 on Wednesday to advance a bill that would require Kansas abortion providers to give women detailed printed information about the physician performing the procedure at least 24 hours in advance.

The measure specifies that the information must include the doctor’s name and information on the physician’s credentials, his start date at the clinic as well as malpractice insurance, hospital privileges, state of residency and disciplinary record. It even specifies the font type, size and color in which it needs to be written.

State law already requires that women be given the names of their physicians and information on the procedure’s risks, age and characteristics of the fetus and information that could discourage abortions.

Abortion opponents say the new measure would give women information necessary to make an informed decision about whether to go through with the procedure.

Kathy Ostrowski, the legislative director for Kansans for Life, said women seeking abortions should be able to find out information, like whether the doctor has privileges at a hospital in the event that the woman experiences a complication with the abortion.

“It’s up to the person, individual to weigh all the factors that are important or relevant to her decision,” she said.

But abortion-rights supporters say the bill is meant to discourage women from getting abortions and that it treats abortion providers differently from other doctors. Planned Parenthood lobbyist Elise Higgins said the bill implies that women can’t make their own decisions.

“This law is insulting and unnecessary,” she said.