Missouri State Senate Passes Pre-Abortion Counseling, Ultrasound Bill
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 22, 2010
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) — The Missouri state Senate voted today to approve a bill that would help women with a pre-abortion ultrasound and give them information they need to make a better decision than abortion. The Senate voted 26-5 to expand the requirements of the current 24-hour waiting period.
The state House has already approved its own version of the legislation and it goes further than the Senate bill by creating the crime of coercing a woman into having an abortion.
The House measure also requires abortion centers to tell prosecutors when a minor girl seeks an abortion. Undercover videos in several states have shown Planned Parenthood clinics and abortion businesses covering up cases of potential and actual sexual abuse.
Pam Fichter, president, Missouri Right to Life, told LifeNews.com she is pleased the Senate passed SB 793.
"This bill ensures that a woman is given the opportunity to view an ultrasound of her unborn child and receives information about her child’s development 24 hours before an abortion is performed," Fichter said. "She also must be informed of the possible pain to her unborn child from the abortion, the father’s liability for child support and alternatives to abortion."
"This legislation will save lives and protect women from making a decision that they may regret later," she said.
The bill also contains language, sponsored by Sen. Scott Rupp , that allows Missouri to “opt out” of abortion coverage in federal health insurance exchanges.
President Barack Obama signed into law the government-run health care bill that includes massive abortion funding. The language of the measure allows states to opt out, but only of some of the funding under the measure.
"This language is critical in protecting lives and the rights of pro-life Missouri taxpayers," Fichter said.
Sen. Joan Bray, a Democrat from University City and Sen. Jolie Justus, a Kansas City Democrat, vocally opposed the pro-life bill, SB 793, during the debate.
"This bill makes sure women are fully informed and give complete consent before undergoing an abortion," sponsoring Sen. Rob Mayer said.
The full House voted 113-37 in favor of the legislation on its side.
Its measure requires abortion businesses, orally and in writing, to provide women information 24 hours before an abortion on the development of the unborn child, and long-term medical and mental health problems women can expect from the abortion.
The measure also allows women to find out about abortion alternatives and to see an ultrasound of the unborn child.
HB 1327 also makes it unlawful for a woman’s family, friends, workplace or school to coerce her into having an abortion and to require abortion centers to place posters in their waiting rooms informing women they have the right to not have an abortion.
Speaker Pro Tem Bryan Pratt, a Republican, said during the debate, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, that the bill would be the “strongest pro-life bill the House has passed in Missouri’s history.”
Rep. Cynthia Davis, a Republican, said not all women support abortion and oppose the bill.
“Abortion is a kind of domestic violence as well,” she said. “Women don’t naturally want to kill their offspring. Women who are loved, cared for and supported don’t mind having their own child.”
Related web sites
Missouri Right to Life – https://www.missourilife.org
Missouri Legislature – https://www.moga.mo.gov
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