Kansas To Shut Down All but One Abortion Clinic Friday

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:33:18 -0500

— By Kate Sheppard| Thu Jun. 30, 2011 1:43 PM PDT

It's official. Every abortion provider in the state of Kansas has been denied a license to continue operating as of July 1. As we reported last week, strict new state laws put in place this month threatened to close the remaining three abortion clinics in Kansas. The staff of one of these facilities, a Planned Parenthood clinic in Overland Park, initially thought their operation could survive the strict new standards. But on Thursday afternoon, Planned Parenthood announced that the Overland Park clinic has thus far been denied a license to continue operating—effectively cutting off access to legal abortion in the entire state.
The new law, which takes effect Friday, establishes new standards for abortion providers—standards apparently designed to make compliance difficult. The rules require changes to the size and number of rooms, compel clinics to have additional supplies on hand, and even mandate room temperatures for the facilities. Given that the rules were released less than two weeks before clinics were expected to be in compliance, many providers knew they wouldn't be able to obtain a license to continue operating. The laws, often called "targeted regulation of abortion providers," or TRAP laws, are an increasingly common legislative maneuver to limit access to abortion by redering it tough, if not impossible, for providers to comply.
With today's announcement that the Overland Park clinic was denied a license, Kansas becomes the first state to effectively make the legally protected right to obtain abortion services moot. One clinic in Kansas has already filed suit against the new rules, and a hearing on that suit is planned for Friday. Planned Parenthood is also expected to sue. The clinics are also expected to seek an injunction to block the law from being enforced. UPDATE: Planned Parenthood has filed suit. They are seeking an emergency injunction to allow their clinic to remain open while the lawsuit is pending.
"The women of Kansas waiting on their scheduled procedures will pay the immediate price for this outrageous and flagrant exertion of the radical GOP’s legislative muscle under the Brownback administration," said Kansas NOW in a statement Thursday, referring to conservative Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. "The freedom and right to legal healthcare has been denied to the women of Kansas."
Read more: http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/06/kansas-shut-down-all-abortion-clinics-friday

Kansas Abortion Legislated Out of Existence

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:26:27 -0500

Dr. Mila Means to speak about abortion at community event

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:06:02 -0500

By Kim Wilhelm
KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

Dr. Mila Means, attorney Lee Thompon and author Stephen Singular will speak at a community event Friday at College Hill United Methodist Church in Wichita. Means is training to do abortions and will open a clinic in Wichita. Singular wrote the book "The Wichita Divide: The Murder of Dr. George Tiller and the Battle over Abortion."
The Kansas National Organization for Women sent out the news release about the event and describes it as a "discussion of the intersection of religion, politics, abortion and terrorism." It will be the first time Dr. Means has appeared publicly to speak. Means announced last year she will provide abortions at her practice. It will be the first time since Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed abortions will be performed in Wichita. Means does not plan on providing late-term abortions.
Kari Ann Rinker, Kansas NOW coordinator, says Wichita police and private security will also be present.   Author Stephen Singular says following Tiller's death, there is always concern when speaking about this topic but it "shouldn't stop people from talking about it."   "We stand ready and waiting for Dr. Means to open her clinic and offer the abortion access that this city needs," said Rinker. "This discussion is needed now, more than ever."
Read more: http://www.kwch.com/news/kwch-kaw-wichita-kansas-doctor-who-will-perform-abortions-to-speak-at-public-event-20110620,0,5271184.story

Statehouse Live: Kansas NOW seeks apology for confiscation of news conference props

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:43:15 -0500

By Scott Rothschild
June 13, 2011, 12:42 p.m. Updated June 13, 2011, 12:55 p.m.

TOPEKA — The Kansas chapter of the National Organization for Women has written Gov. Sam Brownback, asking for an apology because of what it said was harassment from Capitol police during a recent news conference about a legislator's statements related to an abortion bill.
Kansas NOW state coordinator Kari Ann Rinker, behind the podium, and the tires in question during June 1 news conference outside the Capitol Building.
"Your security's confused, erratic and bullish behavior at the Capitol Building in Topeka was unacceptable," Kari Ann Rinker, State Coordinator for Kansas NOW, said in a letter.
On June 1, Rinker had brought three used tires to the Capitol as props to protest remarks made by state Rep. Pete DeGraaf, R-Mulvane.
During debate on a bill that would prohibit insurance companies from covering abortion procedures for victims of rape or incest, unless they purchase a separate abortion insurance policy in advance, DeGraaf said women needed to plan ahead and mentioned he carried a spare tire in case his car gets a flat.
Kansas NOW has called on DeGraaf to apologize, but he has refused. He has said his comments were taken out of context, but he has declined to say how.
The bill was approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Brownback.
Rinker said she had called Capitol police earlier and had been cleared to bring the tires into the building during the final day of the legislative session. But as she set up outside the House chamber, an officer confiscated the tires.
She got the tires back and then placed them outside the building on the south steps for a news conference. Capitol police arrived on the scene and ordered her to remove them, but after several minutes of discussion, they relented, she said. She then held the news conference.
"Freedom of speech is a guarantee to all citizens, even those with whom the current administration may disagree," Rinker said in her letter. "I am requesting that an apology for this treatment be provided to me and my organization," she said.
Read more: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/jun/13/statehouse-live-kansas-now-seeks-apology-confiscat/

Letter to Governor Brownback

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:34:11 -0500