Sunflower State News

The ballot initiative “Value Them Both” is a pro-life amendment for the state of Kansas which would give the ability to make policies on abortion back to the legislature. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is a pro-life group that strongly supports the amendment and will invest over a million dollars in educating others on the importance of the Value Them Both constitutional amendment.

On June 24, in a 5-4 decision, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling from 1973 that established the constitutional right to abortion, according to CNBC News. The court's ruling gives individual states the power to set their own abortion laws.

The Value Them Both Amendment concerns the regulation of abortion, without fully banning it. The constitution of the state of Kansas does not require government funding of abortion and does not create or secure a right to abortion.

Under the amendment, the people, through their elected state representatives and state senators and also to the extent permitted by the Constitution of the United States, may pass laws regarding abortion. This includes, but is not limited to, laws that account for circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, or circumstances of necessity to save the life of the mother.

The national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America announced on June 22 that it will invest at least $1.3M in Kansas to educate voters on the pro-life Value Them Both constitutional amendment which will be on the statewide primary ballot Aug. 2.

“The Value Them Both Amendment restores the rights of Kansans to pass laws that protect women and children, especially from brutally painful late-term abortions,” Mallory Carroll, spokeswoman for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said. “Over the coming weeks, our passionate student canvassers will communicate directly with Kansas primary voters on the importance of voting YES on this important Amendment.”

If passed, the Value Them Both Amendment would clarify that there is no right to abortion or taxpayer-funded abortion in the Kansas state constitution and restore the right to enact laws regarding abortion to Kansans and lawmakers.

Currently, late abortions up to 22 weeks are legal in the state of Kansas. A Scranton, Kansas resident told SBA Pro-Life America, “I met a voter who is pro-choice. But after I explained the VTB Amendment, he agreed with it! He thinks it’s never OK to have a late-term abortion, so he will vote yes!”