Missouri House expected to pass restrictive abortion law

by John Bowden - 05/17/19 7:23 AM ET

Missouri state House lawmakers are poised Friday to approve a bill that would ban abortion in the state after eight weeks of pregnancy.

Reuters reported Friday that lawmakers in the state legislature looked likely to pass the bill, which would make Missouri’s abortion laws among the strictest in the nation, and that Gov. Mike Parson (R) had indicated he would sign it.

{mosads}Parson, Reuters reported, said that the bill would make Missouri “one of the strongest pro-life states in the country.”

The bill previously passed Missouri’s Senate on a party-line vote, with 10 Democrats opposing the measure and 24 Republicans supporting it.

Even without the governor’s signature, state law dictates that the bill will become law on Aug. 28 if it passes the state House.

News of Missouri’s likely passage of the “Missouri Stands for the Unborn” bill comes days after Alabama and Georgia’s governors signed similarly restrictive bills into law, infuriating abortion rights advocates and setting up the states for a possible conflict with Roe v. Wade supporters at the Supreme Court.

“To the bill’s many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians’ deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God,” Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) said this week following her signature of a bill banning abortion in all cases except for when the life of the mother is in danger.

“To all Alabamians, I assure you that we will continue to follow the rule of law,” she added.

Planned Parenthood and other groups have vowed to battle politicians supporting the bills at the ballot box next year.

“If you choose to vote against women’s rights, we’ll be voting against you in the next election,” Staci Fox, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates, said last week after Georgia’s bill was signed into law.

“We’re putting lawmakers on notice: your votes are far outside the mainstream and we will now spend our time and energy launching a campaign to replace you. That work begins now. The people of this state stood up and spoke out against this draconian legislation and our lawmakers chose not to listen. Now we are mobilizing and we are coming for their seats,” she added.

Tags Abortion Missouri state government