The Cut - Finally, Some Good News About Abortion

A record number of voters sent a clear message to Kansas lawmakers on Tuesday: Abortion rights must be protected in the state constitution. Their rejection of the Value Them Both Amendment was a major win for the pro-choice movement and proof of how, even in areas flush with Republican voters, Americans are angry about the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

The ballot measure, which would have amended the state constitution to say explicitly that it does not protect the right to an abortion, was defeated with 58 percent of the vote. That means Kansas lawmakers won’t be able to pass further restrictions on abortion care unless they demonstrate the state has a “compelling interest” and narrowly tailor the regulations. The state is expected to remain a critical hub for patients from nearby states that banned the procedure in the aftermath of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, including those coming from Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Good news first: New music from Carly Rae Jepsen arrives in October! Speaking of spooky season, it only took 329 years, but the last Salem witch has been exonerated by Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker. Also, did you hear about the guard cat who prevented a robbery? And we’ve welcomed some amazing new team members to the Cut! Dumb news next: Warner Bros. spent $100 million on a Batgirl movie no one will ever see. Also, a passenger was fined $1,874 after sneaking two McMuffins in their luggage, and Adam Driver is back on the old horse. Last, bad-is-an-understatement news: Texas’s juvenile-prison system is nearing total collapse, with 600 young people trapped in lockup in unlivable conditions; the Supreme Court made it harder to prevent jail suicides; and several Trump-backed election deniers won their primaries yesterday.

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