TOPEKA, Kan. (Legal Newsline) -- Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt asked state lawmakers last week for an additional $1.2 million to cover potential lawsuits over new laws.
The Associated Press reported that Schmidt told lawmakers his office needs $500,000 alone to defend a law enacted this year banning abortion based on gender and stating life begins at fertilization.
The attorney general told members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which is reviewing the budget request, that a new gun law declaring the federal government has no power to regulate firearms, ammunition and accessories made, sold and kept only in the state could end up costing another $225,000.
Other new laws that could see potential litigation, Schmidt argued, is one requiring drug testing to receive temporary assistance for needy families and another preventing public employees unions from automatically deducting from members' paychecks to finance political action committees.
Each could cost up to $250,000 to defend each year, the attorney general said, according to the AP.
The $1.2 million would boost Schmidt's budget for a two-year period starting in July.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.