Kansas legislature is set to discuss a new Republican-led bill, Senate Bill 425, that could redefine child support laws by including unborn children in the legal definition of a child. The bill, which is under scrutiny, would necessitate that pregnant women are eligible for child support for medical and pregnancy-related expenses from the point of conception.
The legislation, as it currently stands, emphasizes that these expenses should not cover elective abortions. The bill was proposed by Kansas State Senator, Renee Erickson, and has garnered strong support from pro-life organizations who assert that it could mitigate abortion rates by providing financial assistance to pregnant women.
Anti-abortion organization, Kansas Family Voice, expressed their support for the bill. Brittany Jones, Policy and engagement director of the organization, said that they envision a system wherein pregnant women receive all-encompassing support.
Kansas still permits abortion through 22 weeks of pregnancy or in instances where the mother’s life is threatened. As of August 2022, Kansan voters rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have enabled lawmakers to outrightly ban abortions.