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U.S. Chief Judge Vratil Considers Whether To Block Parts Of New Kansas Abortion Bill

Kansas is heading back to court to defend new restrictions on abortion providers.  The state has already spent more than $758,000 on private attorneys in lawsuits over anti-abortion laws.

Chief Judge Kathryn Vratil is scheduled to hear arguments Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., on whether she should temporarily block parts of a new state law that takes effect Monday. Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missourisued the state last week over provisions in the law that spell out which information patients must receive before their pregnancies are terminated.

The information includes a statement saying abortion ends the life of a "living human being." PPKM President Peter Brownlie says the law violates the doctor's freedom of speech and "undermines a woman’s ability to trust her doctor."

CHPPKM wants Vratil to prevent the state from enforcing the restrictions until its lawsuit is resolved.

When she's not out making lattes in her mobile coffee bus Sunflower Espresso, Kate Hutchens is a fill-in host for KMUW. She has worked in broadcast journalism at KFDI, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and at KMUW as Morning Edition host, which she did until March 2017.