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Kansas Supreme Court Reaffirms the Right to Abortion Under the State's Constitution | Center for Reproductive Rights

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Kansas Supreme Court Reaffirms the Right to Abortion Under the State's Constitution | Center for Reproductive Rights


The Kansas Supreme Court reaffirmed on July 5 that the state’s constitution protects the right to abortion, striking down several abortion restrictions challenged by the Center for Reproductive Rights on behalf of Kansas abortion providers.

The decision comes more than four years after the court recognized that the state constitution protects the right to abortion—and nearly two years after Kansans voted overwhelmingly to protect that right. 

“Kansas voters made it loud and clear in 2022: the right to abortion must be protected. Now the Kansas Supreme Court has decisively reaffirmed that the state constitution protects abortion as a fundamental right,” said Nancy Northup, Center president and CEO. “This is an immense victory for the health, safety, and dignity of people in Kansas and the entire Midwestern region, where millions have been cut off from abortion access.” 

Kansas was the first state to vote on abortion rights after the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion in June 2022. Weeks after that ruling, Kansans came out to defend their right to abortion by defeating a ballot initiative that would have removed the right from the state’s constitution. Since then, six additional states have held abortion-related ballot initiatives, with voters favoring abortion rights each time.

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Abortion on the Ballot

In 2022, Kansans voted to defend their right to abortion. This November, voters in several states will get the chance to weigh in on abortion-related ballot measures.

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Court’s Ruling Strikes Down Several Abortion Restrictions 

In its ruling, the court permanently struck down a ban on the most common abortion procedure used after approximately 14-15 weeks of pregnancy, called dilation and evacuation (D&E), and ruled against a series of restrictions imposing burdensome and unnecessary requirements.

“We stand by our conclusion that section 1 of the Kansas Constitution Bill of Rights protects a fundamental right to personal autonomy, which includes a pregnant person’s right to terminate a pregnancy,” stated the court in its ruling. 

The cases were filed on behalf of Drs. Hodes and Nauser and their practice, the Center for Women’s Health, which has offered abortion care in Kansas for decades. 

Kansas Supreme Court Recognized Abortion as a Fundamental Right in Earlier Case 

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The Kansas Constitution contains a guarantee of “equal and inalienable natural rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” which the Kansas Supreme Court has recognized includes the fundamental right to abortion. 

The Center brought the legal challenge in 2019 that led the Kansas Supreme Court to recognize state constitutional protections. The ruling strengthened protections for abortion access in the face of relentless attacks by anti-abortion lawmakers. Read more about that landmark case in the Center’s State Constitutions and Abortion Rights report here.

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Kansas

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography

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6 hours ago

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March 5, 2026

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Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography


WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A former Kansas wrestling coach was charged with creating child sexual abuse materials by secretly recording minors showering during an athletic competition.

According to court documents, 37-year-old Ryan Brungardt of Salina is charged with two counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography.

Brungardt is a former employee at Lakewood Middle School and former wrestling coach for Salina Central High School.

Brungardt is accused of using a cellphone to record three minors while they showered in a locker room during the Tournament of Champions, a wrestling tournament was held at Newton High in January 2024.

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Brungardt made his initial court appearance for the criminal complaint on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooks G. Severson.

A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday

Investigators are in the process of reviewing additional seized cellphone videos in this case that are suspected to have been recorded at wrestling meets in Newton, Hays, Garden City and Salina during the 2023-2024 wrestling season.

Anyone who believes they witnessed crimes or any suspicious activity at these events is asked to contact the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (785) 600-8790 or report at www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

Copyright 2026 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com

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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Saturday after Wednesday sub-state wins

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18 hours ago

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March 5, 2026

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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Saturday after Wednesday sub-state wins


TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Below is a look at the results from Wednesday night’s high school basketball sub-state semifinals in Northeast Kansas.

Editor’s Note: This story will be updated with what schools are hosting when that information becomes readily available.

WIBW Scoreboard

BOYS

6A Boys West Sub-State: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

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  • Topeka High 57, Washburn Rural 50 (will play Maize Saturday)
  • Junction City 70, Dodge City 56 (will play Derby Saturday)
  • Manhattan 58, Wichita-Northwest 56 (will play Wichita-East Saturday)

4A Boys East Sub-State: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Rock Creek 62, Louisberg 57 (will play Bishop Miege Saturday)
  • Atchison 74, Wamego 43
  • Hayden 72, Independence 56 (will play Atchison Saturday)
  • Eudora 76, Santa Fe Trail 68

GIRLS

5A West Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Hays 80, Topeka West 18
  • Eisenhower 55, Seaman 41
  • Kapaun Mt. Carmel 71, Emporia 41

5A East Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Shawnee Heights 89, Sumner 15 (will play Pittsburg Saturday)
  • Basehor-Linwood 74, Highland Park 28 (will play Piper Saturday)

3A Pomona-West Franklin Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Osage City 75, Columbus 31 (will play Frontenac Saturday)

3A Sabetha Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Silver Lake 48, Nemaha Central 26 (will play Riley County Saturday)
  • Riley County 51, Jeff West 40 (will play Silver Lake)

Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.



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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Friday after Tuesday sub-state wins

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2 days ago

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March 4, 2026

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RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Friday after Tuesday sub-state wins


TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Below is a look at the results from Tuesday night’s high school basketball sub-state semifinals in Northeast Kansas.

Editor’s Note: This story will be updated with what schools are hosting when that information becomes readily available.

WIBW Scoreboard

BOYS

5A East Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

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  • KC Washington 68, Highland Park 38
  • Shawnee Heights 49, De Soto 37 (will play Leavenworth Friday)

5A West Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Topeka West 55, Hutchinson 32 (will play Bishop Carroll Friday)
  • Emporia 61, Great Bend 41 (will play Maize South Friday)
  • Seaman 73, Valley Center 51 (will play Hays Friday)

3A West Franklin Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Burlington 60, Osage City 35 (will play Baxter Springs Friday)

3A Sabetha Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Hiawatha 73, Oskaloosa 48 (will play Heritage Christian Friday)
  • Silver Lake 58, Sabetha 39 (will play Perry-Lecompton Friday 7:30 p.m.)

GIRLS

6A West Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Washburn Rural 60, Wichita South 32 (will play Derby)
  • Topeka High 69, Maize 45 (will play Liberal)
  • Manhattan 67, Free State 21 (will play Wichita East)

4A East Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Rock Creek 71, Parsons 23 (will play Tonganoxie)
  • Wamego 54, Labette County 33 (will play Bishop Miege)
  • Hayden 2, Athison 0 (will play Baldwin)

2A Eskridge/Mission Valley Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Rossville 71, KC Christian 49 (will play Maur Hill-Mount Academy)
  • Lyndon 61, Jeff. Co. North 31 (will play Valley Heights)
  • Valley Heights 65, Doniphan West 41 (will play Lyndon)

Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.



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