65-6704. Abortion upon minor; required information and counseling.

467 words·~2 min read·/ks/chapter-65/65-6704

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(a)Before the performance of an abortion upon a minor, a counselor shall provide pregnancy information and counseling in a manner that can be understood by the minor and allows opportunity for the minor's questions to be addressed. A parent or guardian, or a person 21 or more years of age who is not associated with the abortion provider and who has a personal interest in the minor's well-being, shall accompany the minor and be involved in the minor's decision-making process regarding whether to have an abortion. Such information and counseling shall include:

(1)The alternatives available to the minor, including abortion, adoption and other alternatives to abortion;

(2)an explanation that the minor may change a decision to have an abortion at any time before the abortion is performed or may decide to have an abortion at any time while an abortion may be legally performed;

(3)make available to the minor information on agencies available to assist the minor and agencies from which birth control information is available;

(4)discussion of the possibility of involving the minor's parent or parents, other adult family members or guardian in the minor's decision-making; and

(5)information regarding the provisions of K.S.A. 65-6705 , and amendments thereto, and the minor's rights under such provisions.

(b)After the performance of an abortion on a minor, a counselor shall provide counseling to assist the minor in adjusting to any post-abortion problems that the minor may have.

(c)After the counselor provides information and counseling to a minor as required by this section, the counselor shall have the minor sign and date a statement setting forth the requirements of subsections

(a)and

(b)and declaring that the minor has received information and counseling in accordance with those requirements.

(d)The counselor shall also sign and date the statement and shall include the counselor's business address and business telephone number. The counselor shall keep a copy for the minor's medical record and shall give the form to the minor or, if the minor requests and if the counselor is not the attending physician, transmit the statement to the minor's attending physician. Such medical record shall be maintained as otherwise provided by law.

(e)The provision by a counselor of written materials which contain information and counseling meeting the requirements of subsections

(a)and

(b)and which is signed by the minor shall be presumed to be evidence of compliance with the requirements of this section.

(f)The requirements of subsection

(a)shall not apply when a medical emergency exists. A physician who does not comply with the requirements of this section by reason of this exception shall state in the medical record of the abortion the medical indications on which the physician's judgment was based.