Title: Roe Rule Affecting Kansas Original CoS Document (slug): [[https://conventionofstates.com/roe-rule-affecting-kansas|roe-rule-affecting-kansas]] Login Required to view? No Created: 2023-03-22 14:47:15 Updated: 2023-09-07 11:16:28 Published: 2023-03-21 01:00:00 Converted: 2025-04-14T21:23:45.897285934 ---- The Kansas legislature has once again been thwarted by the now-infamous “Roe Rule”.\\ \\ Since 1974, the Kansas Constitution has contained this two-thirds voting requirement for Kansas to join any Convention of States effort. The Roe Rule was originally devised to stop efforts by the states to overturn the Roe vs Wade decision in 1973. The language found its way into the Kansas Constitution, and today, it was the sole reason why leadership in both the House and the Senate gaveled down our Convention of States resolution as “not passed.”\\ \\ With a vote in the House of Representatives of 74 to 48 in favor and a vote in the Senate of 22 to 16 in favor, the presiding officers both cited the Roe Rule that exists in the Kansas Constitution for ruling the effort failed in the legislature this session.\\ \\ In the House, 72 Republicans and 2 Democrats voted in favor of HCR5008, while 11 Republicans and 37 Democrats voted against. In the Senate, 22 of Republicans and 0 Democrats voted in favor of SCR1607, while 4 of Republicans, 1 Independent, and 9 Democrats voted against.\\ \\ Click to see the recorded votes ([[http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230322113058_831236/|**HOUSE**]] - [[http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230322150945_468448/|**SENATE**]]) and [[https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/promo/4qx|**HERE **]]to send your legislators a quick note related to their votes (we help you by starting the email for you according to how they voted).\\ \\ We will not continue to let the Roe Rule preclude the Kansas legislature from using its Article V power to call a convention for proposing needed reforms via the amendment process. Because Article V gives the authority to apply for a convention solely to the state legislatures, state constitutional provisions cannot legitimately impose additional requirements. This was recognized by former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt in a well-reasoned official opinion.\\ \\ Those who understand the urgency of state-initiated amendments to curb federal overreach will be looking for avenues to see that the Kansas application, passed by a majority of legislators in both chambers, is counted toward the required 34.\\ \\ This fight is not over. Please encourage your legislators to continue to support Convention of States, and to help us eliminate the Roe Rule once and for all. You can [[https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/promo/4qx|**send a quick message**]] to your state legislators right now to tell them how you feel about their vote and to express your desire for an end to the Roe Rule.\\ \\ We applaud the Convention of States grassroots army in Kansas for achieving this historic vote in the House and Senate today, as well as the Kansas legislators who had the courage to act on behalf of our great nation.\\ \\ {{https://content.conventionofstates.com/cosaction-prod/public/content/images/65944/65944_original.jpg?400x241}}