Lawmakers’ override of veto of abortion bill fails

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ veto of new restrictions on abortion providers withstood an attempt Wednesday by anti-abortion senators to overturn it.

The vote was 25-14, two short of the two-thirds majority needed to nullify the veto in the Senate and send it to the House, where an override effort probably would have been successful.

Besides imposing new restrictions, the measure would have allowed lawsuits to block late-term procedures on fetuses that are 22 weeks or older.

When she vetoed the measure, Sebelius argued it could deny women lifesaving medical care. But abortion opponents said Sebelius’ action shows that she holds radical views.

The measure was partly a response to allegations that Dr. George Tiller has performed illegal late-term abortions at his Wichita clinic. Tiller is among the few U.S. physicians who perform such procedures, and he says that he follows state law.

“Kansans are proud of the progress we’ve made lowering the abortion rate and lifting our economy. It’s time for legislators to recognize that progress and focus on the things that continue to move us forward,” Sebelius said in a written statement after the vote.

The vote came with little debate, as Sen. Tim Huelskamp made the override motion.

“It’s a much-needed bill. It provides much-needed information and protection,” said the Fowler Republican.

Abortion opponents said the bill would protect patients from being coerced into having abortions, particularly minors. Also, they noted that some provisions were designed to increase the amount of information patients receive before having their pregnancies terminated.

The bill called for doctors using ultrasound or monitoring fetal heartbeats to make information from those sources available to a patient at least 30 minutes before an abortion. Also, doctors would have to tell their patients whether their fetuses are viable and, if not, why.

The bill also allows a former patient or her family to sue a doctor for monetary damages if she believes a pregnancy was improperly terminated.

When Sebelius, who supports abortion rights, vetoed the bill on April 21, she objected most strongly to provisions allowing a patient’s spouse or family members to go to court if they believed a doctor had performed or was about to perform an illegal late-term abortion. The patient herself also could sue, but so could a local prosecutor.

Huelskamp complained Wednesday about the absence of Sen. Jay Emler, a Lindsborg Republican, and insisted Senate President Steve Morris, a Hugoton Republican, explain why Emler wasn’t there.

After Huelskamp pushed the issue, Morris said, “He’s in a meeting with the director of the CIA,” without further explanation. CIA Director Michael Hayden was at Kansas State University in Manhattan to deliver a lecture Wednesday afternoon.

Morris said Emler’s vote wouldn’t change the outcome and declared the override effort defeated.

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On the Net:

Abortion bill is House Sub for SB 389.

On the Net:

Kansas Legislature: http://www.kslegislature.org

Governor’s office: http://www.governor.ks.gov