Kansas lawmakers can't ban abortions, so some want to give that power to local governments

With Senate Bill 65, Kansas joins several states where abortion opponents want to give local governments the authority to restrict or ban abortion.
WICHITA, Kansas — Kansas joins a handful of states debating the power of local governments to restrict abortion.

Legislation proposed this week seeks to give local governments the authority to ban abortion. That marked the second bill concerning abortion introduced by Kansas abortion opponents so far this legislative session after a landslide statewide referendum in favor of abortion rights last year.

Sen. Chase Blasi, a Wichita Republican, introduced the bill Thursday in the Committee on Federal and State Affairs. It would repeal a law that prohibits local governments from regulating abortion, so long as those regulations are “as stringent or more stringent” than state law.