Wichitopekington

Here are the prepared remarks of new Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson at his swearing-in ceremony tonight:

“At the outset, I want to congratulate Governor Sebelius: first, for her 23 years of outstanding public service to the State and second, for her confirmation as Secretary of Health and Human Services. She has served the state well and will serve both the state and country well in her new position.

“I am humbled and honored to serve as Governor of Kansas. I love this state and am excited to have the opportunity to serve during a time of real need.

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By David Goldstein/Eagle Washington Bureau

Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback could be waffling a bit in his support for Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to run the Health and Human Services Department.

Congressional Quarterly reports that the Republican lawmaker plans to think more about his endorsement in light of her veto Thursday of late-term abortion legislation.

“It makes it harder and harder,” Brownback, an abortion opponent, told the magazine.

Neither the senator nor an aide would comment about whether he is reconsidering his support.

It’s tradition for legislators to embrace presidential nominees from their states, regardless of party. Only twice in the last 20 years has a senator from one party failed to back a home state nominee from the opposing party, according to Congressional Research Service.

One of those cases was in 2001, when Sen. Jean Carnahan, a Democrat from Missouri, voted against the confirmation of former Republican Sen. John Ashcroft, also of Missouri, who had been nominated for attorney general.

In Brownback’s case, he is one of the Republican Party’s leading social conservatives and has been under pressure from that wing to disavow his support of the Democratic governor.

Though Sebelius has a reputation for working across party lines, she is anathema to abortion opponents because she supports abortion rights. They’re especially put off by her association with George Tiller, who operates an abortion clinic in Wichita and has been a political contributor.

Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina and Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele have called upon President Obama to withdraw her nomination.

The bill that Sebelius vetoed would have imposed requirements on physicians who perform late-term abortions. The procedure is outlawed except in cases where the woman’s life is in danger or she faces serious medical consequences.

The legislation would have required physicians to file state health reports explaining the medical diagnoses that necessitated a late-term abortion.

Sebelius said she thought the bill probably was unconstitutional and would also “lead to the intimidation of health care providers and reduce access to comprehensive health care for women.”

Senate Democrats need 60 votes to confirm her on Tuesday when her nomination is scheduled to be debated. They hold 56 seats. The chamber’s two independents generally side with them as well.

At least four Republicans, including Brownback, have committed to voting for her. The others are his Kansas colleague, Sen. Pat Roberts, an old friend of the Sebelius family, and the two party moderates from Maine, Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins. There could be others as well.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said Sebelius supporters have enough votes to confirm her.

Text of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ veto message on Thursday of a bill making changes to the Kansas abortion laws:

“For more than a decade, Kansas laws have banned partial birth abortions and post-viability abortions except in those very limited cases where it is necessary to preserve the life or health of a pregnant woman. The United States Supreme Court has consistently held that while states can limit the availability of post-viability abortions, they must allow them where necessary to protect the health or life of the woman. As governor of Kansas, I have worked hard to reduce abortions by supporting a range of initiatives including adoption incentives, encouraging parental involvement and individual responsibility for young men and women, expanding health services for Kansas children, promoting access to affordable contraceptives, expanded maternal and infant health services and promotional efforts, providing funds for proven successful pregnancy maintenance programs and encouraging age-appropriate sex education. These efforts have resulted in reducing the number of abortions by more than 10 percent in the last six years in Kansas. I am confident that with a more united effort to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies, combined with creating conditions that provide support and assistance for mothers and their babies, we will have even greater success reducing abortions in our state. Unfortunately, House Sub for SB 218 will not help to reduce the number of abortions in Kansas, and would likely be declared unconstitutional. Under the bill, a physician intending to comply with the law could later be criminally prosecuted. A physician acting in good faith to save a pregnant woman’s life, and using his or her best medical judgment, should not be subject to later criminal prosecution. Similar language was declared unconstitutional by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Women’s Medical Professional Corp. v. Voinovich, 130 F.3d 187 (6th Cir. 1997). The provisions in this bill that would allow for the criminal prosecution of a physician intending to comply with the law will lead to the intimidation of health care providers and reduce access to comprehensive health care for women, even when it is necessary to preserve their lives and health. While I agree that we should try to reduce the number of abortions, it cannot be at the increased risk to the life or health of women. Therefore, pursuant to Article 2, Section 14 of the constitution of the state of Kansas, I veto House Substitute for SB 218.”

The latest Survey USA polls in Kansas show this:

• Sen. Sam Brownback appears to be in a glide path toward the GOP nomination for governor. He’s up 64-17 percent over Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh.
• In the open-seat race for the U.S. Senate (the seat Brownback is vacating), it’s even-steven between Congressmen Todd Tiahrt and Jerry Moran. It’s 39-35 percent for Moran, a split that’s within the poll’s margin of error.

Survey USA calls Brownback the “odds-on favorite” in the race for governor. Of the Senate race, the polling company concluded, “The race is essentially tied, and should be reported as such.”

—Steve Kraske

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius signed into law legislation allowing Kansans of drinking age to order up to 12 cases of wine a year to be shipped directly to their homes.Many states allow the practice, which has led to the popularity of online wine shipments and wine-of-the-month clubs. But Kansas was – until this year – leery of uncorking a law that some lawmakers feared could lead to underage alcohol consumption.

That led to a curious law a few years ago that allowed consumers to order out-of-state wine and have it shipped directly to… their liquor store.

This year, several lawmakers argued that few 18-year-olds would order expensive California wines and risk having their parents intercept the shipment.

The bill signed today by Sebelius also allows wine producers to sell their vintages at farmer’s markets, so long as the market has been approved by the state’s alcohol control officials.

The new law also allows restaurants to store unfinished bottles of wine for customers.

— David Klepper