The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said Friday two pro-abortion lawmakers, Rep. Marty Crow of Leavenworth and Rep. Cindy Neighbor of Shawnee, attempted to amend an abortion-related bill to make it unenforceable - and that they are trying to deceive constituents about their effort.

Rep. Lance Kinzer, an Olathe Republican, said the amendment, which failed, would in effect have eliminated the prohibition against partial-birth abortions in Kansas.

Kinzer pointed to e-mails sent to constituents by Crow and Neighbor, both Democrats who have consistently voted against pro-life legislation.

In fact, both voted against a bill this session that requires that women considering abortions be informed that they have a right to see a sonogram.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, no champion of the pro-life movement, signed the bill.

In the e-mails, Crow and Neighbor said the amendment they supported would have banned partial-birth abortions without exceptions.

Crow’s e-mail concluded: "I want to pass laws that actually promote the policy of no partial birth abortions, very few late term abortions or early term abortions, only in the case of danger to the mother's health or reproductive ability or when the baby has irreversible catastrophic defects."

But Kinzer, in e-mails obtained by Kansas Liberty, questioned the motives of the pro-abortion lawmakers.

Kinzer summarized the issue: “Simply put, current federal law includes a life of the mother exception; adopting legislation without such an exception is an invitation to a court challenge that could invalidate the statute leaving us with no state law against partial birth abortion. One must wonder if this was not the exact goal of those who offered the amendment.”

He added: “One of the key reasons for passing SB 218 is to make sure Kansas has the strongest possible partial birth restriction that we know will stand up in court. The amendment offered on the floor today was political gamesmanship at its worst and should be recognized as such.”

- Phil LaCerte

 Correction: An earlier version of this article also incorrectly cited Kathy Ostrowski of Kansans for Life as joining Kinzer's allegations. Kansas Liberty regrets the error.

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