Kansas Senate passes bill on tax credits for pregnancy center donations

A bill that would establish 70% tax credits for donations to pregnancy centers was passed in the Kansas Senate last week.

SB 96 stipulates that in order to be eligible, pregnancy centers must offer their services at no cost and use licensed medical professionals to perform medical procedures.

Kansas is currently home to at least 57 such clinics, according to Kansans for Life, including Insight Women’s Center in Lawrence.

“Insight Women’s Center has been a safety net for me,” said Korbe Bohac, a new mother who testified before the Kansas Legislature. “Their support has given me the confidence to be a good mother, and I know that I’m not alone in my struggles. I’m proud to be part of the community offered by Insight Women’s Center, and I am determined to instill the family values and work ethic that we hope for all Kansans into my son.”

Sen. Renee Erickson, R-Wichita, also emphasized compassionate care provided by such centers.

“After birth, they wrap their arms around these ladies and their children, sometimes for many years thereafter,” she said.

Opponents worried that the bill, which would allow up to $10 million in tax credits, doesn’t provide sufficient regulation of the non-profit pregnancy centers.

“We don’t know how many are regulated, how many are not, how many have actual medical personnel, how many do not,” said Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa.

However, it was pro-abortion clinics in the state which faced scrutiny just a few years ago. In 2016, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback terminated Planned Parenthood’s participation in state Medicaid for its dubious medical practices.

“Planned Parenthood’s trafficking of baby body parts is antithetical to our belief in human dignity. No longer will we send the money of hard-working Kansans to fund an industry that disrespects life and violates the moral conscience of our people,” Brownback said.

However, a federal judge overturned Brownback’s decision in 2018. Currently, pro-abortion centers in Kansas receive state funding.

SB 96 will now head to the House for further debate.