The largest group of patients to receive an abortion in Kansas weren't even residents of the Sunflower State, according to a report released by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
In 2023, 19,500 abortions were performed in the state of Kansas, a 58% increase from 2022 when 12,300 abortions were performed in the state, reported Kansas' 2023 Annual Summary of Vital Statistics.
The highest proportion of patients to receive these procedures were Texas residents, with about 7,600 of them receiving abortions in the Sunflower State. They represent 39% of people who had an abortion in 2023.
"The report reflects what we've seen and shared since the Dobbs decision: patients from states that have denied access to critical, life-saving care continue to rely on Kansas as an access point during a national crisis," said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, in a news release.
Over 35,000 Texans traveled to a different state to receive an abortion over the course of 2023, reported the Guttmacher Institute. Most of these patients were treated in New Mexico, with the second most being treated in Kansas.
Kansas was the first state to provide residents with a referendum regarding abortion access, with 60% of voters voting to retain access to the procedure in the state.
In 2024, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly attempted to veto House Bill 2749 after it was passed by Kansas' state legislature. The bill would necessitate biannual reports of all abortions performed in the state, and would require for patients to be asked why they were seeking an abortion with exceptions in cases of medical emergencies.
However, the Legislature overrode Kelly's veto and passed the bill into law.
"There is no valid medical reason to force a woman to disclose to the legislature if they have been a victim of abuse, rape, or incest prior to obtaining an abortion," Kelly said in her veto filing. "There is also no valid reason to force a woman to disclose to the legislature why she is seeking an abortion."
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