CHAPTER 27
House Bill No. 2635*
An Act concerning healthcare; enacting the pregnancy center autonomy and rights of expression act; providing statutory protection for private, nonprofit pregnancy centers and medical pregnancy centers to provide life-affirming care, support and material resources; creating a private cause of action for violations of the act; creating a right of intervention in legal proceedings challenging the act.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. The provisions of sections 1 through 7, and amendments thereto, shall be known and may be cited as the pregnancy center autonomy and rights of expression act.
Sec. 2. The legislature hereby finds and declares that:
(a) The life-affirming impact of pregnancy centers and medical pregnancy centers on the women, men, children and the communities such centers serve is considerable and growing;
(b) pregnancy centers serve women with integrity and compassion in this state and across the United States;
(c) pregnancy centers provide comprehensive care to women and men facing unexpected pregnancies, including resources to meet the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of such individuals;
(d) pregnancy centers offer women free, confidential and compassionate services, including pregnancy tests, peer counseling, 24-hour telephone hotlines, childbirth and parenting classes, referrals to community healthcare, adoption referrals and other support services;
(e) many medical pregnancy centers offer ultrasounds and other medical services;
(f) pregnancy centers encourage women to make positive life choices by equipping such women with complete and accurate information regarding pregnancy options and the development of unborn children; and
(g) pregnancy centers provide important support and resources for women who choose childbirth over abortion.
Sec. 3. As used in sections 1 through 7, and amendments thereto:
(a) “Abortion” means the same as defined in K.S.A. 65-6701, and amendments thereto.
(b) (1) “Abortion-inducing drug” means any medicine, drug or any other substance prescribed or dispensed with the intent of inducing an abortion. “Abortion-inducing drug” includes the off-label use of drugs known to have abortion-inducing properties that are prescribed specifically with the intent of causing an abortion.
(2) “Abortion-inducing drug” does not include any drug that may be known to cause an abortion but is prescribed for other medical indications.
(c) “Medical pregnancy center” means a private, nonprofit organization that does not perform abortions, provide abortion-inducing drugs or make referrals for abortions or abortion-inducing drugs and that:
(1) Promotes childbirth and alternatives to abortion;
(2) provides medical testing, medical counseling and medical care and treatment related to pregnancy; and
(3) may provide resources, counseling, classes, referrals or information related to pregnancy, childbearing, adoption and parenting to women, children and families.
(d) “Pregnancy center” means a private nonprofit organization that does not perform abortions, provide abortion-inducing drugs or make referrals for abortions or abortion-inducing drugs and that promotes childbirth and alternatives to abortion and provides women, children and families with resources, counseling, classes, referrals or information related to pregnancy, childbearing, adoption and parenting.
Sec. 4. No state agency, department, division, bureau, institution or subdivision thereof, or any county, city or other political subdivision of this state shall enact or adopt any law, ordinance, resolution, rule and regulation, policy, procedure or any other similar measure that:
(a) Requires a pregnancy center or medical pregnancy center to offer or perform abortions;
(b) requires a pregnancy center or medical pregnancy center to offer, provide or distribute abortion-inducing drugs;
(c) requires a pregnancy center or medical pregnancy center to make a referral for an abortion or an abortion-inducing drug;
(d) requires a pregnancy center or medical pregnancy center to counsel in favor of abortion or abortion-inducing drugs;
(e) requires a pregnancy center or medical pregnancy center to post any advertisement, sign, flyer or similar material that promotes abortion or abortion-inducing drugs or provides any information about obtaining an abortion or abortion-inducing drugs;
(f) prohibits a pregnancy center or medical pregnancy center from providing information, care, counseling, classes or other services related to pregnancy, childbirth or parenting because the pregnancy center or medical pregnancy center does not perform, refer or counsel in favor of abortion or abortion-inducing drugs;
(g) prohibits a pregnancy center or medical pregnancy center from providing prenatal and postnatal resources, including diapers, baby clothes, baby furniture, formula and similar items because the pregnancy center or medical pregnancy center does not perform, refer or counsel in favor of abortion or abortion-inducing drugs;
(h) prohibits a medical pregnancy center from providing medical testing, medical counseling and medical care or treatment related to pregnancy or childbirth because the medical pregnancy center does not perform, refer or counsel in favor of abortion or abortion-
inducing drugs;
(i) prohibits a medical pregnancy center from counseling a woman on any pregnancy-related care or treatment; and
(j) interferes with staffing or hiring decisions of a pregnancy center or medical pregnancy center by requiring such center to interview, hire or continue to employ any person who does not affirm the center’s mission statement or agree to comply with the center’s pro-life ethic and operating procedures.
Sec. 5. A pregnancy center, medical pregnancy center or any party aggrieved by any violation of section 4, and amendments thereto, may commence a civil action for damages, declaratory relief, injunctive relief or any other appropriate relief. The prevailing party in any such action may be awarded the costs of the action and reasonable attorney fees.
Sec. 6. The legislature may, by concurrent resolution, appoint one or more members of the legislature to intervene as a matter of right in any legal proceeding in which the constitutionality or enforceability of this act is challenged. Such appointment shall remain effective in the event such person ceases to be a member of the legislature.
Sec. 7. Sections 1 through 6, and amendments thereto, are declared severable. Any provision of sections 1 through 6, and amendments thereto, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance that is held to be unconstitutional or invalid shall not affect the validity of any remaining provisions of sections 1 through 6, and amendments thereto, or the applicability of such provisions to any person or circumstance.
Sec. 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the statute book.
Governor’s veto overridden.
(See Messages from the Governor)
CERTIFICATE
In accordance with K.S.A. 45-304, it is certified that HB 2635, was not approved by the Governor on March 27, 2026. The bill was approved on March 27, 2026 by two-thirds of the members elected to the House of Representatives notwithstanding the objections of the Governor; was reconsidered by the Senate and approved on March 27, 2026 by two-thirds of the members elected to the Senate notwithstanding the objections, and the bill did pass and shall become law.
This certificate is made this 27th day of March 2026, by the President of the Senate and Secretary of the Senate and the Speaker of the House and Chief Clerk of the House.
Ty Masterson
President of the Senate
Corey Carnahan
Secretary of the Senate
Daniel R. Hawkins
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Susan W. Kannarr
Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives
