Print edition: 
TOPEKA — Some Kansas legislators will push again this year to rewrite state restrictions on late-term abortions and for other abortion-related initiatives.
Legislators who oppose abortion expect to pass a bill requiring doctors who perform late-term procedures to report more information to the state, and making it possible for them to face lawsuits if patients or others come to believe their abortions violated state law.
Abortion opponents contend such issues are still compelling, even if no doctor or clinic is performing abortions as late as George Tiller did. Tiller was shot to death May 31 at his Wichita church.
Such a bill passed last year but was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius days before she was confirmed as U.S. health and human services secretary.
Kansas House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lance Kinzer, R-Olathe, said he'll use that measure as a starting point for a debate this year.
Sen. Tim Huelskamp, R-Fowler, said he'll revive his proposal to prevent $250,000 in federal funds from flowing through the state to Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, which operates an abortion clinic in Overland Park. The money is for programs to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and Sebelius' successor, Gov. Mark Parkinson, vetoed Huelskamp's proposal in May.
Peter Brownlie, president and chief executive officer of the Planned Parenthood chapter, said he sees the annual legislative disputes mainly as an effort to help anti-abortion groups raise money.
"For the Legislature to continue to spend significant amounts of its time on an issue that has no practical impact is a waste of taxpayer money and legislative time," he said.
Abortion opponents believe they have the same strong majorities in both legislative chambers for a bill rewriting late-term abortion restrictions and are close to the two-thirds majorities needed to override a veto.
Parkinson spokeswoman Beth Martino said Parkinson would veto Huelskamp's proposal again if it came to the governor in the same form.
Bob Beatty, a Washburn University of Topeka political scientist, said abortion opponents might do better to wait until after Parkinson leaves office. He's not running for a full term this year, and Republican U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback is a strong favorite to replace him.
Also, Beatty said, the debate over the state's budget problems will dominate the annual 90-day legislative session that begins Jan. 11.
"In legislative sessions, it is a zero-sum game: There's only time and energy and political will for a certain number of issues," he said.
Several out-of-state doctors performed abortions at Tiller's clinic and one, Leroy Carhart, of Bellevue, Neb., considered opening a Kansas clinic after Tiller's death.
"The enforcement of the law remains nonexistent, which is inviting to late-term abortionists everywhere," said Mary Kay Culp, executive director of the anti-abortion group Kansans for Life.
Also, Planned Parenthood's funding is a big irritant for abortion opponents. Huelskamp rejects the argument that it's acceptable because it doesn't pay for abortions.
"It's one organization," he said. "It certainly subsidizes the abortion side."
