Abortion coercion bill heads to Kansas Gov.

TOPEKA (KSNT) - The Kansas House voted 82-37 to send a bill creating the crime of coercion to obtain an abortion to the governor's desk. Lawmakers voted to concur with the amendments of the bill.

The proposal, Senate Substitute for HB 2436, would also create a special sentencing rule that would apply to persons convicted of certain crimes against a victim with the intent to compel an abortion.

According to the supplementary note for HB 2436, the bill would classify the offense of coercion to obtain an abortion as a nongrid person felony with a sentence of between 30 days and 1 year imprisonment and a fine of $500 to $5,000.

“Coercion” would mean any of the following:

• Threatening to harm or physically restrain an individual or the creation or execution of any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause an individual to believe that failure to perform an act would result in financial harm to, or physical restraint of, an individual;
• Abusing or threatening abuse of the legal system including threats of arrest or deportation without regard to whether the individual being threatened is subject to arrest or deportation under state or federal law
• Knowingly destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating, or possessing any actual or purported passport or other immigration document or any other actual or purported government identification document from an individual without regard to whether the documents are fraudulent or fraudulently obtained; or
• Facilitating or controlling an individual’s access to a controlled substance, as defined in public health law, and amendments thereto, other than for legitimate medical purpose

The Senate voted 27-11 to pass the bill last week, reaching enough votes needed to override a veto if one comes down.

The House would need 84 votes to override a veto of the proposal. Four Republican legislators were absent for Monday's vote.

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