Earlier last week, the Kansas House Health and Human Services committee passed two important pieces of pro-life legislation out of committee and to the full chamber for consideration: House Bill 2313 and House Bill 2429.
The meeting began with a hearing on House Bill 2313 which would create the born-alive infants protection act to provide legal protections for infants who are born alive regardless of the intent of the delivery. Currently, Kansas does not provide protection for these babies, nor do they offer direction for what kind of care the baby should receive — like ensuring they are admitted to the hospital or that appropriate records are documented. This bill would simply ensure these children receive the proper medical care and attention they deserve.
Legislators read or heard from two abortion survivors, Melissa Ohden and Sarah Zagorski, as well as medical experts Dr. Kelly Byrd and Representative Dr. Ron Bryce (R — Coffeyville). Rep. Dr. Bryce shared powerful testimony from his time workking in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where he was summoned to an operating room for a “Code Blue” incident. He then provided medical care for a baby who had survived an abortion attempt, but was not receiving proper medical care by the nurses or doctor already in the room. We encourage you to read Rep. Bryce’s testimony here, or watch below:
In an interview with KFL after the hearing, Rep. Bryce told our supporters: “It’s critical we support this legislation” and that he “hopes this topic guides society into a more humane and moral care for these children.”
The bill was passed out of committee with little discussion, though all Democrats voted against it. The legislation, along with House Bill 2429 now heads to the remainder of the body for consideration.