Missouri House Overturns Veto on Right to Know Bill
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 10, 2003
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) — The Missouri state House voted today to overturn a veto by pro-abortion Gov. Bob Holden (D) of a pro-life bill that would help women find information about abortion risks and alternatives prior to having an abortion.
The House voted 120-35 to override the veto — well past the two-thirds necessary. Hundreds of pro-life advocates who packed the chamber gallery burst into applause following the vote.
Now the pro-life bill needs 23 of the 34 votes in the Senate to complete the override. However, a Democratic state Senator says he may filibuster the override vote
Senate Minority Leader Ken Jacob says he’ll filibuster the bill to stop it from becoming law, but it won’t be easy. Jacob says a filibuster on an override vote is harder to sustain than on a regular bill because a majority of members have already voted in favor of the legislation.
Observers say the vote will be close — especially because one pro-life senator is away on military duty and may not be able to make the vote.
The pro-life bill requires abortion facilities to provide women with information about abortion alternatives, risks and dangers as well as information about fetal development 24 hours prior to performing an abortion. Similar bills in other states have proven effective in reducing the number of abortions by as much as one-third.
"The women who don’t know all their options and don’t understand the risks of an abortion" are the ones who are at risk, said Dave Plemmons, a representative of Missouri Right to Life.
Pam Manning, the president of Missouri Right to Life, says physicians discuss risks and alternatives regarding medical procedures, and abortion should be no exception.
Abortion advocates oppose the bill and say it infringes on the right o have an abortion.
Related web sites:
Missouri Right to Life – https://www.missourilife.org
