MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR

House Bill No. 2062

An Act concerning children and families; relating to orders of child support; providing for child support for unborn children from the date of conception and including the direct medical and pregnancy-related expenses of the mother; requiring the court to consider the value of retirement accounts when determining support orders; eliminating the exemption and retirement moneys from claims to fulfill child support obligations; providing for an income tax exemption for unborn and stillborn children; amending K.S.A. 20-165, 23-2205, 23-3001 and 23-3002 and K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 60-2308 and 79-32,121 and repealing the existing sections.

Message to the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

At first glance, this bill may appear to be a proposal to support pregnant women and families.

However, this bill is yet another attempt by special interest groups and extremist lawmakers to ignore the will of Kansans and insert themselves into the lives of those making private medical decisions. It is a place where this Legislature has become all too comfortable — particularly for those who espouse freedom from government overreach.

The motives behind this bill are clear. Instead of helping pregnant women and families, the Legislature chose to pass a bill that connects the issue to a woman’s constitutional rights. This bill is a dismissal of the will of the majority of Kansans who voted overwhelmingly in 2022 to keep politicians out of the private medical decisions made between a woman and her doctor.

Furthermore, the provisions of this bill are questionable, and it is surprising it has been put forward. There are legitimate worries surrounding its implications, and I encourage special interest groups and their legislative supporters to reflect on the broader impact of their actions.

Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto House Bill 2062.

Laura Kelly, Governor

Dated April 9, 2025.