Kansas Abortion Bill Could Raise Taxes On Women Seeking Procedure (UPDATE)

The sweeping anti-abortion bill working its way through the Kansas Legislature would levy a sales tax on women seeking abortions, including rape victims.

Buried in the 69-page bill being considered by the House Federal and State Affairs Committee are several provisions, in fact, that opponents say would increase taxes on those who seek abortions. The tax sections do not include exemptions for women who want an abortion after a sexual assault or to end a life-threatening pregnancy.

The committee is likely to continue discussing the bill Thursday afternoon.

Under the proposal, women who end up receiving abortions would not be able to deduct the cost of the abortion as a health care expense if they had not purchased special abortion insurance, said Sarah Gillooly of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri.

Last year, Kansas enacted a law removing abortion coverage from health insurance plans in general. Women can purchase a special rider to cover the procedure in advance of a pregnancy.

The bill would also levy a sales tax on abortion procedures, including those performed for rape victims, according to both Gillooly and Rep. Sean Gatewood (D-Topeka), the bill's leading opponent. The Kansas Department of Revenue's website says the state has a 6.3-percent sales tax.

Rep. Lance Kinzer (R-Olathe), the sponsor of the bill, did not return a call for comment. A Kinzer staffer said he rarely speaks to the press.

Among other provisions in the proposed legislation are measures allowing doctors to withhold from patients medical information that might encourage them to seek an abortion and prohibiting malpractice suits if the woman or the child suffers a health complication as a result of information being withheld. A wrongful death lawsuit could be filed if the mother dies. The bill also would require doctors to tell women that abortion causes breast cancer and would prohibit state employees from performing abortions on the job.

Language in the bill that could jeopardize the accreditation of the OB-GYN residency program at the University of Kansas Medical Center is unlikely to be amended during the committee's hearing Thursday.

Gillooly predicted the bill would create multiple enforcement issues for the Revenue Department. She said that the abortion deduction ban would allow state auditors to demand individuals' medical records in order to check that deductions were not being claimed for abortion procedures, which she said would violate medical privacy laws.

In addition, Gillooly suggested that the state could end up levying a sales tax on birth control as well under the provision. "How does Walgreens tax abortion medication and not birth control?" she asked rhetorically.

Opponents have asked that the bill be considered by the House Taxation Committee as well, because the federal affairs panel does not have tax expertise. But Rep. Gatewood, who serves on both committees, said it's unlikely that will happen. The Federal and State Affairs Committee deals with a host of issues including abortion, bingo licenses, immigration, land surveying, strip clubs and alcohol.

Rep. Steve Brunk (R-Wichita), chairman of the federal affairs panel, did not return a call for comment.

Gatewood said that if he and others in the House can't stop the bill, they hope the state Senate, which is controlled by a more moderate Republican faction, can stop it. Gov. Sam Brownback (R) has told HuffPost that he will sign the bill.

"Basic life-saving stuff, they can't use their insurance on. It is not birth control. It is a matter of life and death," Gatewood said. "I don't know what these people are thinking or if they're thinking."

Update: 3:19 p.m. -- The Federal and State Affairs Committee of the Kansas House has postponed discussion of the abortion bill until Monday.

Rep. Gatewood said that Chairman Brunk announced at the start of Thursday afternoon's committee meeting that the delay will allow legislators more time to review the University of Kansas Medical Center accreditation issue and to draft possible amendments on the issue. Gatewood said that the committee meeting instead will focus primarily on alcohol-related bills, including one to legalize wine tastings in the state.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated incorrectly that the tax sections of the anti-abortion bill would cover a procedure to remove the remains of a fetus following a miscarriage. In fact, such a procedure is not defined as an abortion for purposes of the Kansas tax code.

Comments

[CJ1]

08:56 AM on 04/08/2013

So graduates of the university are scr&&$$ed because the lies they have to sign on for in KansAss will mean they are no longer accredited! Wow! That means their grads cannot practice medicine anywhere else...? I am pretty sure you can't get a medical license if you don't go to an accredited school...

[cathyvv]

10:07 PM on 03/18/2012

So men who buy condoms and/or have a vastectomy, purchase viagra, cialis, etc. will also have to buy special insurance and pay taxes on the procedures/drugs?

It seems like it is discriminatory and unconstitutional to tax only one type of medical procedure and intentionally targets women. Tax all medical procedures or tax none. My guess is that the 'special insurance' wouldn't stand up to a Supreme Court challenge, either, as it unfairly targets females.

[Sheilah Davis]

06:28 PM on 03/13/2012

Bummer....Kansas politicians have spent a lot of money trying to get people like me to buy up land and build a home in those sparsley populated areas. I was seriously considering it but now, if my 42 year old self has a high risk pregnancy, I and the baby could both end up dead because a doc didn't want to tell me about a condition.

No thanks. I want my other four children to still have a mother.

So....I'll throw out all those little brochures I've gotten from those counties in which my family and I considered as potential homes. Kansas politicians are far too sexist (and stupid) for my taste.

As far as taxes go, imagine how they're going to skyrocket when all those children need public assistance. Have fun with that.

[julierthanyou]

10:20 AM on 03/11/2012

someday, when i have a family (when i decide i am ready, not the GOP for me) my grandchildren are going to look back on these attacks on women's health with shock and disgust.

[Anthony Barker]

03:58 AM on 03/11/2012

I've got an idea.. and it would really prove the GOP motivations...

Add an rider that states that since the purpose of a woman is to have babies (not my opinion, just the GOP's). It is crucial that everything possible is done to insure a healthy birth. Therefore, it is mandatory that the employer grant PAID maternity leave to the pregnant woman starting no later than the end of the first trimester. This leave would continue until 4-6 months after child birth, to ensure that the woman is fit to maintain the best physical ability to continue to have children... Oh, and I forgot... Make the wages paid to the woman tax deductible for the employer. In addition make it a felony for an employer to fire a pregnant woman, because this would cause undue stress on the mother and might cause complications with the child birth.

Makes me really want to run for office... BTW, though I don't really have party that I would vote for just because they are "my" party... I do consider myself a republican... Mostly the parts about smaller government (and therefore less taxes are required to support it).

[Sheilah Davis]

06:31 PM on 03/13/2012

I ran for mayor in my town. I got a lot of press and the other candidates repeated most of my promises. Through running, I was able to turn the conversation to address issues (like the ones you stated) like smaller government, less taxes, less corporate welfare and so on.

Let the idea stew in the back of your mind. You can run and make a difference.

You'd be surprised at what you can do.

[angie1234]

03:17 PM on 03/10/2012

We're not in Kansas anymore.
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/07/11/proposal-complete-abortion-polish-parliament

Apparently, this recent anti-abortion, anti-contraception isn't just a United States right wing push. This is a global right push for anti-abortion and anti-contraception.

[CJ1]

09:33 AM on 04/08/2013

It's an attack by corporations to ensure cheap labor I the future.

[angie1234]

11:28 AM on 04/08/2013

Perhaps.  Never quite considered it from that angle although I am sure there are also people attacking it for what they feel to be religious and moral reasons.

[Godfearing]

11:05 AM on 03/10/2012

The White Christian Republican Tea Party Birther/Bigots Anti-Woman Kansas representatives like Sam Brownback may be playing with fire on judgment day. God help them if her gender is female.

[oldwhitefemdem]

09:32 PM on 03/10/2012

And she will be. She has to have quite a sense of humor to preside over this, and the proselytizers rarely have a sense of humor.

[uniqumm]

10:57 AM on 03/10/2012

And tax them too......?

That's sick?

My opinion of that benighted state has dropped even lower!

[madame48]

10:21 AM on 03/10/2012

Is Kansas the most misogynist state? I think we need an online contest to see which backward states are winning the "Misogyny Sweepstakes"...because there are other states creeping up on the Kansas lead.

[Godfearing]

11:07 AM on 03/10/2012

Their governor is supposedly Christian, pro-life and loves those campaign donations from the tobacco and spirit industries. That should tell you something right there what hyprocrites they are.

[grover5995]

12:09 PM on 03/10/2012

How can any governor pretend to be pro-life if they accept donations from alcohol and tobacco companies?

[Adastra]

03:03 PM on 03/10/2012

The constant misuse of the Bible to support views and political opinions the Book fails even to mention (much less endorse) should have already been a major clue as to Christianoid hypocrisy. I hope they are correct in their belief that God will punish those who distort and misquote His book for their own self-righteous ego-satisfaction. If that's the case, maybe they'll all get a free permanent vacation in that non-existent Hell they try to frighten others with. It would serve them right.

With love under will,

Bob, Adastra,
The Wizzard of Jacksonville

[oldwhitefemdem]

06:04 AM on 03/10/2012

OMG, the lunatics have taken over the asylum. Brownback is surely contemplating cancelling suffrage for women. The giant, amazing egos of these MEN. ALL THESE WHITE MEN protecting us from ourselves. How can people be soooo wrong about soooo many things and be sooooo certain they've got it right and those who disagree need to be protected from themselves.

[Godfearing]

11:11 AM on 03/10/2012

F&F ~ That just goes to show you that they have forgotten that "meet your maker" part of their holy book. Believe me, if what they preach is true, God help them.

[oldwhitefemdem]

12:54 PM on 03/10/2012

Amen!

[jm27431111]

11:17 AM on 03/10/2012

why is it alway WHITE MEN... stop with the racism fool

[roroma]

11:40 AM on 03/10/2012

Check out the KS legislature, jm, and who is supporting these bills.

[oldwhitefemdem]

12:53 PM on 03/10/2012

I'm white and not a fool. How often do you see black men or any women engaged in this sort of hunting? Of this sort of not even subtle determination to beat down women in this way? and Blacks, the elderly, students subjected to the sorts of assault on voting rights, insurance rights, wage rights, and every other right they can think up. (This is not, however, meant to be sexist. I don't say all white men because many, many men are engaged in fighting back.)

[K August]

05:16 AM on 03/10/2012

Sick, sick, sick,........every one of these guys is pushing their religious beliefs and morals on their constituents........something the Constitution doesn't support!

[conservgirl8]

11:41 AM on 03/10/2012

Where in the Constitution does it say that? The First Amendment is clear. It contains two clauses, 1. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, 2. or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." er go, the establishment clause and the right to freely exercise your rights.

What do these two clauses mean to you?

To me, this state's legislators are not making a law establishing a religion, nor are they prohibiting the free exercise thereof. As long as these states are not banning abortion, they are within the limits of the Constitution. These states are attempting to limit the abortion on demand, because most people see abortions as wrong, and hope that they can can slow down the killing of babies, but, they've not banned abortion. Do you see how it works?

[grover5995]

12:12 PM on 03/10/2012

According to the lst amendment, govenment is supposed to remain neutral on questions about religion. It is not to interfere with nor should it promote religious doctrine as the law of the land.

[wishescometrue]

04:43 PM on 03/12/2012

Your use of the language tells us where you stand on the issue. Your question is silly. The person you are responding to is not looking for your opinion. Really.

[jackdablues]

04:34 AM on 03/10/2012

Why don't we just have states like kansas be all male? Then they can legislate away all they want. Just one big happy (gay) mens club.

[oldwhitefemdem]

06:13 AM on 03/10/2012

Sadly, if they are gay, they deny it vigorously, and they will do anything to keep their girl-people in state, and subjucated in every way they can - legal and illegal. People in other countries must be stunned at how backward this country is and the incredible rules that are passed in the name of religion. What are these men - and their token females - so afraid of? I simply don't understand their drive. Why are they theatened? What assault on their manhood do they imagine is a result of freedom of choice? (oops. answered my own question.)

[madame48]

10:23 AM on 03/10/2012

they think their god hates sex, except for the baby product...and women must continue to be the brood mares of the men...who of course are free to have all the sex THEY want

[Galician]

10:51 AM on 03/10/2012

Actually, I am one of those... I mean one of those who's stunned!!

Is lately getting worse and worse or is just my perception?. People getting sacked because they are gay, Kirk Cameron and his fanatic ideas, that Senator who said that the tornados happened because people didn't pray enough and now this to top it off!

Fortunately, on the other hand, there are people like you!

[cocoabisq]

10:43 AM on 03/10/2012

I am beginning to think that perhaps we should turn over part of this country to the religious right..they can make their own little country and we can then begin to live sanely again.
This is the most ridiculous, time-wasting, piece of legislation. I would say, ever produced, but our Congress is going one further.
I have never seen such a regressive, angry, bemuddled bunch of politicians.

[Clevelandinwi]

02:57 AM on 03/10/2012

Women of America! You have a WAR on your hands! Better get started!

[bert70]

11:27 AM on 03/10/2012

Real Men are with the Women of America, The problems are the males, they cover a whole group of THINGS.

[juliet marilynne]

02:34 PM on 03/14/2012

you know what they say: men and cars are similar: "if it has tires or testicles, sooner or later it's gonna give you trouble." 8)

[grover5995]

12:15 PM on 03/10/2012

Just remember who these pols are and what they are doing to you. Election Day cannot come soon enough.

[heidkist]

01:37 AM on 03/10/2012

Sound as though they are all in the back pockets of the insurance corps!! Women >>> we need to fight back and vote every republican in this nation out of office >>> NOW!!

[cookcff]

01:28 AM on 03/10/2012

I wonder if these state legislators think these anti abortion legislation is gong to help them get to heaven