Kansas governor, AG react to SCOTUS abortion ruling

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - A landmark decision Friday morning by the U.S. Supreme Court, overturning Roe vs. Wade, eliminated the constitutional right to an abortion, leaving the issue up to the states. Now, roughly half are likely set to ban the procedure.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said she continues to oppose “regressive legislation that interferes with individual freedoms.”

“A woman’s reproductive health care decisions should be between her and her physician. I will continue to oppose all regressive legislation that interferes with individual freedoms or threatens the strides we’ve made in recent years making Kansas a constructive place to do business,” said the governor.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said the Supreme Court made the right decision in its ruling, and now that the decision should be up to the people and their elected officials.

“Today’s decision means the power and responsibility to decide the important and difficult questions involving regulation of abortion have been returned to the people instead of federal judges. The people of Kansas will speak directly to this subject in less than six weeks. In voting on the Value Them Both amendment, Kansans will decide whether state judges may determine how abortion is regulated in Kansas or whether that is a responsibility for the elected and democratically accountable branches of state government,” said Schmidt in a statement.

Abortion is currently protected under the Kansas constitution per a 2019 decision by the Kansas Supreme Court. On August 2, Kansans will vote on a constitutional amendment to determine whether those protections should remain.