Kansas Lawmakers See Competing Proposals to Protect Pregnant Women

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jan 17, 2007   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Kansas Lawmakers See Competing Proposals to Protect Pregnant Women Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 17
, 2007

Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) — Kansas lawmakers are tackling competing proposals to protect pregnant women and their unborn children from acts of violence. Pro-life advocates proposed a bill that protects both while abortion activists introduced legislation increasing the punishment for attacking the pregnant woman without seeing a second victim.

The action comes after Chelsea Ann Brooks and Alexa Lynn Brooks were murdered last June. Chelsea, an 8th grade student from Wichita, was 14 years old and her daughter, Alexa, was due to be born in July.

Chelsea’s pregnant body was found in Butler County. The alleged killer was charged only with the murder of Chelsea, not with the death of her unborn child, Alexa.

Seeking to change the law, Representative Steve Brunk (R- Wichita) has introduced a bill called Alexa’s Law and pro-life advocates are working to obtain 10,000 petition signatures in favor of the bill.

However, the bill has been caught up in the debate over abortion because pro-abortion groups are reticent to acknowledge that an attack on a pregnant woman can destroy the life of her child as well.

As a result, the Senate Judiciary Committee has sponsors a proposal on their behalf to simply increase the penalties for murdering a pregnant woman but not charging a criminal with a second crime for death or injury to the unborn child.

Abortion advocates plan a press conference today to discuss that bill.

On the other side of the legislature, the House Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on Thursday on Rep. Brunk’s bill, which enjoys the support of Kansans for Life, the statewide pro-life group.

Related web sites:
Kansans for Life – https://www.kfl.org
Alexa’s Law – https://www.alexaslaw.com