Kansas House Approves Health Bill with Anti-Abortion Amendment

The Kansas House today gave final approval to insurance legislation aimed at helping universities, but which also included an anti-abortion amendment, according the Lawrence Kansas Journal.

Approved with a vote of 110-14, the measure will now go to the Senate for consideration.

The proposed legislation would allow Kansas University and other state universities to buy health insurance that could be provided to students, including those employed as graduate teaching assistants and graduate research assistants.

Currently, multiple agencies are involved in providing the voluntary health insurance. The bill would bring the purchasing power under one buyer, the Kansas Board of Regents, and provide better coverage, officials said in support of the legislation.

Before the vote Rep. Dick Kelsey, R-Goddard, amended the bill so the health insurance couldn’t provide coverage for abortions.

Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, urged colleagues to reject Kelsey’s amendment, saying that this is an insurance bill, “not an abortion bill.”

However, the Kansas House approved Kelsey’s amendment with a 72-50 vote.