National, Regional and Local Pro-Life News
Exciting news! On Tuesday, the Missouri House gave first-round approval to HB 126, a pro-life bill that contains many provisions that protect unborn children and the health and safety of women.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
After amendments were added on the floor, HB 126 now has many different, important provisions, including (this is not a complete list):
There will be much written on this bill as it progresses, but for now, here are links to some stories on HB 126, which was perfected by the Missouri House, but still needs to be third read and sent to the Missouri Senate:
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
After amendments were added on the floor, HB 126 now has many different, important provisions, including (this is not a complete list):
- Prohibits abortion at eight weeks gestation and later, when a heartbeat can be detected. This is contained in the “Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act”, which also makes legislative findings on the development of the unborn child and the harm abortion causes to women, as well as asserts the state’s interests in protecting both the mother and her unborn child;
- Bans abortion at 20 weeks gestation, when an unborn child can feel pain;
- Enacts the "Right to Life of the Unborn Child Act", which is a “trigger ban” on all abortions in Missouri, contingent upon the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the adoption of a federal Human Life Amendment or the enactment of a federal Human Life Bill;
- Forbids abortions for Down syndrome, race or gender;
- Recognizes that “God is the author of life” and declares that Missouri and its political subdivisions are a “sanctuary of life” that protects pregnant women and their unborn children;
- Requires that a second custodial parent has to be notified when a minor is seeking an abortion, in addition to the current one-parent consent, with judicial bypass;
- Obligates abortion facilities and family planning agencies to provide the state’s informed consent materials to a women, if they refer the woman out of state for an abortion; and
- Increases the medical malpractice insurance requirements for those who perform or induce abortions to one million dollars per occurrence and three million dollars in the annual aggregate, and adds a new requirement for “tail” insurance (an additional one million dollars per occurrence and three million dollars in the annual aggregate) for physicians who induce abortions using chemicals or drugs that can cause birth defects of the child survives;
There will be much written on this bill as it progresses, but for now, here are links to some stories on HB 126, which was perfected by the Missouri House, but still needs to be third read and sent to the Missouri Senate:
- “Missouri House moves to further restrict abortion,” AP, February 26, 2019
- “After emotional debate, Missouri House poised to pass ‘strongest pro-life bill’ in U.S.,” Kansas City Star, February 26, 2019
- “Missouri House moves closer to passing tougher restrictions on abortion,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 26, 2019
- “Governor Parson applauds pro-life leaders in Missouri House,” KOAM-TV Fox 14 (Joplin, Mo.), February 26, 2019
