Kansas
Kansas anti-abortion groups celebrate legislative wins. What that means for patients.
Anti-abortion advocates are celebrating legislative victories in Kansas, where Republican lawmakers successfully passed measures that will force abortion patients to report more information to state officials, make it easier to prosecute people for coercing someone to get an abortion and allot more money to anti-abortion counseling centers.
“Now is the time to utilize these new tools and get to work helping women and saving as many babies from the profit-driven abortion industry as possible,” Jean Gawdun, director of government relations for the anti-abortion group Kansans for Life, said in a news release.
Abortion remains legal in Kansas until 22 weeks gestation after voters in 2022 overwhelmingly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have enabled lawmakers to ban it.
The state already restricts abortion in a number of ways, including requiring minors to get parental consent and limiting which health care providers can offer the procedure. Several other restrictions, like a 24-hour waiting period, are on hold due to an ongoing court case.
But the new laws — passed by Republicans overriding vetoes from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in the final days of lawmaking — will expand those restrictions.
Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, said they’re designed to stigmatize reproductive health care.
“Under the new laws, patients will be confused, resources will be squandered, and people will be interrogated about their reasons for seeking care,” she said in an emailed statement. “We know and trust people to make decisions that are best for them, free from unnecessary burdens, shame, and government coercion.”
Advocates say ‘abortion coercion’ law misses the mark
One law will make it easier to prosecute someone for coercing someone to get an abortion, creating a new felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. The measure was a priority of anti-abortion groups, who say they frequently talk to women who feel pressure to get abortions from partners, family members and sometimes doctors.
“For too many women, the right to choose abortion has become the duty to have an abortion for the benefit of other people,” Gawdun said during a legislative hearing.
But organizations that help victims of domestic violence say they’re disappointed lawmakers rejected calls to broaden the law to address other types of reproductive coercion, like tampering with someone’s birth control or pressuring them into becoming pregnant.
Those types of coercion have shown up more frequently in Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence executive director Michelle McCormick’s work.
“It was much more frequent, in my experience, that a victim or survivor was being pressured into either having children when they wouldn’t want to or having their chosen form of birth control hidden from them,” she said in an interview.
Amanda Meyers, director of the Wichita Family Crisis Center, said abusers sometimes force their partners to have children with them out of a desire to permanently tether them to the other person. She noted that pregnancy is often a particularly dangerous time for victims of domestic violence.
“Probably less than a handful of times have I seen (abortion coercion) arise with my clients,” she said, “but reproductive coercion or coercion around family planning is happening in 90 to 99% of the cases.”
Democratic Rep. Jo Ella Hoye introduced an amendment to address those concerns in a House committee. The Republican-led committee initially approved it, but the amendment was omitted from the Senate version of the bill that lawmakers eventually passed.
McCormick called it a missed opportunity.
“While we were hopeful that the Legislature would have taken the opportunity to address all tactics of reproductive coercion that survivors of domestic and sexual violence experience (those not addressed in this bill or current Kansas law), we are appreciative to those Legislators who responded to to our concerns, asked thoughtful questions, and showed their support for addressing reproductive coercion,” she said in an email.
In a note accompanying her veto of the bill, the governor said she agrees that no one should be coerced into getting an abortion, but said she was concerned with what she described as the bill’s vague language.
“This overly broad language risks criminalizing Kansans who are being confided in by their loved ones or simply sharing their expertise as a health care provider,” Kelly said.
Lawmakers overrode her veto 28-10 in the Senate and 85-40 in the House. In a news release following the votes, Republican House leadership called her veto “negligent” and said they were “proud to stand together against abuses such as sex trafficking and sexual abuse that accompany abortion coercion.”
New questions for abortion patients
Starting July 1, Kansas abortion providers must begin asking patients why they’re getting an abortion, whether they’ve recently experienced domestic violence and information about their current living situation. Providers must then give that information to the state health department, which will publish it in a biannual report.
Officials currently publish an annual report about abortion statistics that includes demographic information about patients’ age, race, marital status and county of residence.
During legislative hearings, proponents of the law said the expanded information would help lawmakers and nonprofit organizations, including anti-abortion counseling centers, better understand why people get abortions in Kansas. They could then, they argued, provide more resources that might reduce abortion rates.
But opponents said the questions are intrusive and serve no medical purpose.
“Voters do not want politicians getting between doctors and their patient by interfering in private medical decisions,” Kelly wrote about her veto of the law last month. “There is no valid medical reason to force a woman to disclose to the legislature if they have been a victim of abuse, rape, or incest prior to obtaining an abortion.”
Lawmakers had just enough votes to override Kelly’s veto — 27-10 in the Senate and 84-41 in the House.
“The Governor’s unreasonable fear of this data collection is nothing but a roadblock to helping serve these vulnerable women better,” Republican House leadership said in a statement.
Wichita-based abortion provider Trust Women denounced the veto override.
“This means that patients from Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri who come to our clinics for care will be subjected to a round of invasive questions that have the potential to hurt their healthcare experience and invade their personal privacy,” the clinic said in a social media post.
Money for anti-abortion groups
Lawmakers also passed measures that will help fund anti-abortion counseling centers by renewing a $2 million annual grant and allotting up to an additional $10 million per year through a sweeping tax credit that will reimburse donors for up to 70% of their charitable contributions to the centers.
The centers, often called “crisis pregnancy centers” or “pregnancy resource centers,” provide free resources like baby supplies and parenting classes to people with unwanted pregnancies. Proponents say they’re a lifeline for pregnant mothers facing financial hardship.
But critics say they sometimes mislead vulnerable women and spread disinformation designed to dissuade them from getting abortions. Health experts say they also sometimes encourage women to obtain unproven medical treatments like “abortion pill reversal,” which major medical groups denounce. (Last year Kansas lawmakers passed a law requiring all doctors to inform abortion patients about the treatment, but a judge temporarily blocked it.)
In a line-item veto, Kelly struck down the $2 million contract renewal. She also vetoed the tax credit law, saying in a statement that it’s inappropriate to direct tax dollars to the “largely unregulated” centers. Lawmakers overrode both actions.
Abortion bills that didn’t pass in Kansas legislative session
Some abortion-related proposals died, including bills that would require Kansans to have an obstetric ultrasound prior to getting an abortion. Kansas already has a law requiring this, but a judge temporarily blocked it due to a lawsuit that alleges the law — which also imposes a 24-hour waiting period and requires providers to give patients information designed to discourage them from getting an abortion — is unconstitutional.
Lawmakers failed to pass bills that would restrict abortion providers from purchasing liability insurance from a state fund and allow children injured during a failed abortion to sue the abortion provider.
Two bills that would ban abortion in nearly all cases were introduced, but did not progress.
Backers say such proposals are symbolic because they would almost certainly violate the Kansas Constitution.
Last week, lawmakers passed a bill that would enable pregnant women to collect child support beginning at conception, a key goal of state and national anti-abortion groups. Reproductive rights groups lobbied against the proposal, raising concerns it could strengthen a legal concept known as “fetal personhood” in Kansas — something legal experts say could lead to future restrictions on abortion, in vitro fertilization and other reproductive health care.
Kelly is expected to veto it, and it’s unclear whether Republicans will have the time — or votes — to override her. The regular legislative session is over, but lawmakers will need to return to the Statehouse for a special session in the coming weeks to pass a tax bill.
Rose Conlon reports on health for KMUW and the Kansas News Service.
Since losing Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller in the transfer portal, Bill Self has been tasked with rebuilding his frontcourt from the 2025-26 campaign. While he has landed former Utah forward Keanu Dawes to succeed Tiller at the four, the Jayhawks’ roster still lacks a true center to replace Louisville commit Bidunga.
One player KU had hoped to add was Cincinnati transfer Moustapha Thiam, who tormented the Jayhawks when the two schools met this past February. However, the chances of him committing to play in Lawrence appear to be dwindling by the day.
The Senegal native recently wrapped up a trip to St. John’s and is set to visit Ann Arbor on Monday to meet with the defending champions, Michigan.
Source: Cincinnati transfer Moustapha Thiam will visit Michigan on Monday.
Recently visited St. John’s.
Averaged 12.8 PPG and 7.1 RPG last season.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 19, 2026
Kansas was initially supposed to be one of the top schools involved in Thiam’s recruitment, but that hasn’t necessarily been the case. The Jayhawks have been relatively quiet so far and haven’t gained much traction toward securing an official visit.
Not only is Michigan a recruiting powerhouse coming off a national title win under second-year head coach Dusty May, but it also boasts one of the largest NIL collectives in the NCAA. If the Wolverines are seriously pursuing Thiam, it likely means he will come at a hefty price tag.
KU is expected to increase the NIL budget this year to handle its roster deficiencies from the past few seasons. Regardless, the program must be strategic with its spending, especially with the decision of 2026 prospect Tyran Stokes still looming.
Who Are Kansas’ Alternatives to Moustapha Thiam?
If the Jayhawks are unable to land Thiam, there are a few alternatives on the open market. Those options may not carry the same hype as the 7-foot-2 phenom, who is ranked as the No. 3 center in 247 Sports’ transfer rankings, but they could still provide solid production nonetheless.
One name to watch is Anton Bonke, another towering big man who has spent time at Providence and most recently Charlotte. He visited KU’s campus earlier this week alongside Dawes and remains a viable option.
Another possible solution could come from within if Paul Mbiya decides to withdraw from the transfer portal and return to Kansas. The incoming sophomore flashed his potential during the postseason and is reportedly open to rejoining the program.
Finally, FC Barcelona center Sayon Keita is an international prospect who could make his college decision within the next month or two. He took an official visit to Kansas last July.
Whoever ultimately replaces Bidunga, Self will need to act quickly before the remaining top targets come off the board. Bringing back Mbiya and adding a transfer would be a strong start.
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — In 2025 at Kansas Speedway, Kyle Larson set a significant record.
In 2026 at the 1.5-mile intermediate track, the driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet might simply settle for a win in Sunday’s AdventHealth 400.
In winning last year’s spring race at Kansas, Larson led 221 laps, most in NASCAR history for a driver in a 400-mile race on a 1.5-mile speedway.
That victory, however, was Larson’s last in the NASCAR Cup Series, though he did claim the 2025 series title by finishing third in the Championship 4 Race at Phoenix in November.
Statistics augur well for Larson as he tries to end his 32-race drought on Sunday. He has led 761 laps at Kansas Speedway since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2021, more than double the total of any other driver. Denny Hamlin is second with 337.
His 1,842 laps led on 1.5-mile tracks in the Gen 7 era (since 2022 inclusive) more than double the total of the next driver on the list (Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron at 912).
Larson has led laps in 21 of the last 22 races on 1.5-mile speedways, including the last 10 in a row. If he leads 25 laps on Sunday at Kansas, he will surpass Kevin Harvick’s track-record of 949.
The two-time series champion is the only repeat winner in the last 11 races at Kansas, having won three times during that span, including the last two spring races.
His history considered, Larson has every reason to be confident at a track he thoroughly enjoys.
“Kansas is a lot of fun,” Larson said. “It’s really fast. You’re always trying to carry a lot of speed and momentum off the corners and run big arcs into the entry. There are two different ends of the racetrack, but I feel like you approach the corners in a similar way.
“In the race, you settle into a comfortable pace and balance and try to run as close to the wall as possible without hitting it. It’s a fun place. It can be challenging, but it’s good because you have options to move around.”
Chevrolet teams have been dealing with a new body style this season. Chase Elliott’s win at Martinsville is the car maker’s only trip to Victory Lane so far.
“I think we’re gaining on it,” Larson said. “I think the body stuff maybe is what we’re fighting right now. Entries (into the turns) seem to be pretty loose at most tracks, and then the window of balance is pretty narrow…
“I think we’re not bad on speed. I feel like we’re close to a win, but at the same time, I feel like we have a lot of work to do to get our cars better to where a win would be much easier.”
If a victory for Larson is realistic possibility, Kyle Busch might be satisfied with a top-10 run. On a miserable afternoon last Sunday at Bristol, Busch started 29th and finished 25th, two laps down, after tangling twice with the Toyota of Riley Herbst.
Busch’s winless streak reached 101 races at Thunder Valley, and Richard Childress Racing, the organization that fields Busch’s Chevrolets, has failed to score a top-10 finish in eight straight races for the first time since 1981. RCR is the only multicar team without a top-10 finish this year.
Ty Gibbs got his first Cup Series victory at Bristol last Sunday, but the odds are heavily against another first-time winner at Kansas. In 40 Cup races at the track, there has never been a first-time winner.
Toyota drivers have won six of the first eight Cup races this season, and they’re likely to be strong again at Kansas. Tyler Reddick could become the fourth driver in series history and the first since Dale Earnhardt in 1987 to win five of the first nine races in a season.
Both Reddick and 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace, who is making his 300th career start, are former winners at the 1.5-mile track. The 23XI organization has three victories at Kansas, most at any single venue.
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin boasts four Kansas victories, more than any other driver. He has finished in the top-five in seven of the last nine races there.
If a Toyota driver wins on Sunday, it will be the first time a single manufacturer has won seven of the first nine races in a season since Chevrolet accomplished the feat in 2007.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) – Three Kansas City-area school districts violated federal law according to the U.S. Department of Education. The department said to came to the conclusion after investigating claims for eight months.
The districts involved are:
- Olathe Public Schools
- Shawnee Mission Public Schools
- Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools
Topeka Public Schools was also found in violation of federal law.
The department said the investigation focuses on alleged Title IX violations and violations involving the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA.
FERPA INVESTIGATION FINDINGS
The department said it opened the investigation in August after the Defense of Freedom Institute filed a complaint alleging the violations.
The investigation determined all four school districts have policies that likely prevent schools from notifying parents whether their children are using different pronouns, going by different names, or having different names printed on their diplomas.
The department of education said the policies violate parents’ rights under FERPA to access school records pertaining to their children.
TITLE IX INVESTIGATION FINDINGS
The Department’s Office for Civil Rights said it determined the Kansas City, Kansas, Public School District and Topeka Public Schools violated Title IX .
The investigation found the two districts have policies that allow male students to use female restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms, according to the department.
The findings went on to say the two districts have “single-sex athletics based on gender identity.”
In addition, the Office for Civil Rights reported that KCK schools denied investigators access to information during the inquiry.
The department also said its investigation determined that Olathe and Shawnee Mission School Districts violated Title IX with policies that allow students to use restrooms, locker rooms and changing rooms based on gender identity.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DEMANDS
To remedy the violations the districts must take action, according to the Department’s Offices of Civil Rights and Student Privacy Policy.
According to information from the department, those actions must include, but are not limited to:
- The Districts will no longer allow students to participate in athletics based on “gender identity,” rather basing participation on the student’s sex;
- The Districts will ensure that the use of bathrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, and overnight accommodations is based on sex, not “gender identity;” and,
- The Districts will inform school personnel that “gender support plans” and other related documents having to do with a student’s so-called ‘gender transition’ will be made readily available and accessible to parents and guardians.
If any district involved cails to reach an agreement, the districts could lose federal funding, according to the Department of Education.
OLATHE RESPONDS
The Olathe School District responded to the notice Friday afternoon.
In a letter, the district said it has responded to all three issues involved in the investigation. It also points out that it has met with investigators over the claims for months.
The district says the claims, and investigators findings are not accurate.
“The three issues were not new to Olathe as the District was already in compliance with the law at the time of your 2025 letter. Olathe has confirmed that its staff were, and continue to be, in compliance with the law as they work with our students and families,” the district said in a letter.
Read the full letter to the Department of Education below:
KCTV5 asked Kansas City Kansas Public Schools and the Shawnee Mission School District for responses to the findings.
Their responses will be added to this article when they are received.
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
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