AP/Hays Daily News Examines Kan. Gov. Sebelius' Role In State Abortion Debates, Disputes

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 09 Jul 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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The AP/Hays Daily News on Saturday examined Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' (D) role in abortion-related issues in the state. According to the AP/Daily News, Sebelius, who supports abortion rights, "is a key figure in all" debates.

The article cites the governor's role in appointing members of the board regulating physicians, and the health department's role in enforcing reporting requirements. Sebelius also has appointed the current attorney general and, during the next year, she will choose four out of the seven state Supreme Court justices. Abortion-rights opponents "consistently argue" that issues surrounding abortion do not concern the law but its enforcement, making her influence significant, the AP/Daily News reports.

This year, Sebelius vetoed a bill that would have imposed additional restrictions on abortion providers. In the past she has vetoed measures that would have required additional reporting by physicians and new licensing requirements. In addition, abortion-rights opponents believe the attorney general's office should be pursuing legal disputes involving abortion provider George Tiller, more aggressively, the AP/Daily News reports. State Rep. Lance Kinzer (R) -- who opposes abortion rights -- said, "It's clear that she's strongly allied politically with Tiller, and there's no doubt in my mind that she's going to act to use the power of the governor's office in any way that she can to protect him." However, Sebelius and her supporters reject such comments, and Sebelius last week said abortion opponents have turned debates about state law into "wide-based assaults on privacy rights." She added, "I have not seen a bill hit my desk in the years I have been governor that hasn't had serious constitutional questions raised by a whole variety of sources."

According to the AP/Daily News, it is "not hard to see why abortion opponents believe much of state government is aligned against them. When they look for someone to crack down on abortion providers, they often find someone with a tie to Sebelius" (Hanna, AP/Hays Daily News, 7/6).

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