The Kansas Legislature last week overrode several vetoes Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly had given to bills aimed at protecting and encouraging free speech, life, and school choice.
According to legal nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom, Kelly vetoed a bill known as the Kansas Intellectual Rights and Knowledge (KIRK) Act, named in honor of Charlie Kirk. The legislation covers free speech rights on college campuses, ensuring that students can express their views at public colleges.
According to the Kansas Reflector, House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Republican, said the act “ensures that taxpayer-funded institutions do not pick and choose which voices are allowed and which are silenced.” The House overrode Kelly’s veto 85-38, while the Senate overrode it 29-11.
The Legislature also overrode a veto of a budget provision for next year that protects taxpayer funds from going to abortionists, including Planned Parenthood, according to ADF. Kelly had additionally vetoed two bills, HB 2727 and HB 2729, which were intended to make it easier for women to sue abortionists who violated Kansas informed consent requirements and also standardized those requirements.
Matt Sharp, director of ADF’s Center for Public Policy, stated in a press release the bills are important because Kansas residents aren’t interested in supporting abortion with their taxes.
“So it’s important to exclude abortion giant Planned Parenthood and other abortion businesses from state funding in the upcoming fiscal year — and equally important that women benefit from the state’s informed consent laws without having to wade through unnecessary bureaucracy,” he continued.
The House overrode Kelly’s veto of both bills 87-36, and the Senate overrode them 31-8.
The Legislature additionally brought back HB 2468, a bill that establishes a federal tax credit for donating to organizations that provide school choice scholarships. Sharp said the tax credit “opens the door for many families, especially those on low incomes, to decide how best to educate their child, including the option to choose private schools that reflect the families’ values rather than a government-run school.”
“We commend the Kansas Legislature for overriding the governor’s vetoes to enact such bills today,” he stated. “We also thank Kansas Family Voice and Kansans for Life for their critical work in support of these bills benefiting Kansas families.”