Kansas won’t force providers to ask patients why they want abortions while a lawsuit proceeds

Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas isn’t enforcing a new law requiring abortion providers to ask their patients why they want to terminate their pregnancies. The pause comes as a lawsuit proceeds against the rule and other, older requirements. For not enforcing the law, the state will get an extra four months to develop its defense of the challenged restrictions ahead of a trial now delayed until June 2025. Attorneys for the state and for providers challenging the law and other requirements announced the deal Thursday. Kansas doesn’t ban most abortions until the 22nd week of pregnancy. Its clinics now see thousands of patients from other states with near bans on abortion, most notably Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.