Kansas begins to implement state-funded ‘Alternatives to Abortion’ program

The Republican-led state Legislature subsequently overrode the governor’s veto. Jeanne Gawdun, the director of government relations for Kansans for Life, told CNA that pro-life activists worked directly with the Legislature to draft the language of the bill. 

“We did research last year to look at different states, what they had in place already for funding of pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, adoption centers, those types of things,” Gawdun said. 

“We were able to get some of our pregnancy resource centers to come up and testify in support of the legislation regarding some of the things they could do with the funding,” she said.  

“They are really supported by private donations, so to have any kind of state funding would be of tremendous benefit for them, to increase the number of hours they’re open, to hire additional personnel, even to expand their facilities.”

“We know from national polls that Americans very strongly support pregnancy resource centers,” she continued. “It’s just overwhelming. So we knew Kansans were with us on that.” But “we knew it was going to be a tough thing because we sadly have a very very strongly pro-abortion governor,” she added. 

The state opened the program’s bidding process last week. Clint Blaes, a spokesman for state Treasurer Steven Johnson, said the role of the state treasurer’s office in the program “is limited to conducting the request for proposals process and contracting with a nonprofit organization to promote and provide the services enumerated in the bill.”