Kansas abortion hearing gets heated after pro-choice advocate agitates lawmakers

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - A Kansas woman said she is not sorry for her actions at an abortion debate. Some lawmakers said the women was out of line and disrespectful.

The Kansas abortion debate turned heated at the capitol when the leader of a women’s group pulled out a rubber stamp and accused a house panel of routinely approving bills restricting a woman’s right to chose.

Kari Ann Rinker, with the National Organization for Women, said she stands by her actions.

“Well, I hope the statement I made yesterday will lead to improvement in communication in Topeka and that people will think twice about their words when they have before them differing views.  I think when you have overwhelming majorities, they believe it gives them free reign to abuse those who oppose them,” said Rinker.

A house panel was wrapping up two days of hearings Thursday on a new abortion bill when Rinker said, “It does not take a genius to know how each of you will be voting.”

Then she pulled out a big rubber stamp and in big red letters stamped "approved" on the bill.

State Rep. John Rubin (R-Shawnee), a strong supporter of the abortion bill, was outraged and stormed out of the meeting.

“I did not do it in uncontrolled anger. It was very calculated. It was to make my statement that I don't think we as servants of the people, as representatives sitting on that committee have to sit there and put up with that,” said Rubin.

Included in the 68 page bill, it requires doctors to tell women a fetus feels pain in the 20 ^th week of pregnancy.

It also bans groups that perform abortions from providing materials for sex education classes in schools.

Rinker has a lot of concerns about the bill.

“It requires physicians to give false information to women about an increased risk of breast cancer and premature births, which is refuted by organizations such as the National Cancer Institute,” said Rinker.

Rubin said he stands by all 68 pages but he said the bill will be reworked in committee and if a majority supports it, the bill heads to the full house.

Lawmakers said it is likely some form of this bill will pass. Of the 23 member committee, Representative Rubin said six members are democrats.