Missouri Governor Vetoes Women’s Right to Know Law
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 9, 2003
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) — Governor Bob Holden upset pro-life advocates on Wednesday by vetoing legislation aimed at helping women and reducing abortions.
Holden vetoed the Women’s Right to Know bill (HB 156) that requires abortion businesses to provide women considering abortion with information concerning fetal development and facts about abortion’s risks and alternatives.
A spokesman for Governor Holden previously indicated he had "privacy and constitutional concerns" about the pro-life bill.
Pam Manning, the President of Missouri Right to Life, told LifeNews.com that several Missouri women who spoke in favor of the bill in committee hearings said the aftereffects of abortion have been devastating.
"They agree that the consequences may have been avoided if they had been given more medical and psychological information — and time to absorb what they learned — about the risks of legal abortion," Manning explained.
Manning said Missouri Right to Life would lead an override effort during the September veto session. The group is inviting pro-life advocates from across the state to the capitol to lobby legislators in favor of the veto override.
The House gave final approval by a 116-34 vote, five more than the amount needed to override the governor’s veto. The Senate passed the pro-life bill 23-6, just one vote more than what would be needed to override.
According to the National Right to Life Committee’s state legislative department, 18 states currently have such laws in effect and research has shown they have significantly reduced the number of abortions in the states that have them.
ACTION: Contact your elected officials. You can find contact information for state legislators at https://www.moga.state.mo.us
