A freshman Missouri state senator believes the General Assembly will pass the abortion-related legislation that Governor Eric Greitens (R) has called for.
Capitol Police helped provide security at the Missouri Capitol’s special session on June 14, 2017 (Brian Hauswirth photo]
State Sen. Bill Eigel (R-St. Charles) tells Missourinet “it’s always a good time to talk about the sanctity of life and protecting the unborn.” Eigel campaigned on a pro-life platform during his successful fall campaign.
“Unfortunately, some of the court decisions that have led up to this point really made women vulnerable to abortion clinics that aren’t following the same licensing procedures as a lot of other medical clinics in the state,” Eigel says. “And that creates a vulnerability and it was just cause I think to call the special session and I’m happy to be here.”
Eigel says he’s receiving positive feedback from his constituents, over his support for abortion-related legislation supported by Greitens.
“I ran on the idea that I was going to go down to Jefferson City and do everything that I could to promote a pro-life agenda and protect the sanctity of life. So the feedback that I’m getting from my constituents is an acknowledgement and appreciation that I’m following through on that commitment,” says Eigel.
Greitens is urging Missouri lawmakers to pass legislation to protect pregnancy resource centers and to implement health and safety standards in abortion clinics.
Bill critics, including NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri, say Missourians “deserve and demand improved access to health care, including safe, legal abortion.”
The House Progressive Caucus, which includes State Reps. Stacey Newman (D-Richmond Heights) and Crystal Quade (D-Springfield), says the majority of Missourians oppose what the caucus describes as Governor Greitens’ “continuous attacks on women’s private legal reproductive choices.”
Greitens says pregnancy resource centers are under attack. The Governor spoke to about 200 supporters at Wednesday’s rally at the Statehouse in Jefferson City.
“I know that all of us coming together like this, all of us coming together like this, standing up to have our voices heard, I know that we can get this done. I know that we can get this done,” Greitens says to a cheering audience.
Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis region and southwest Missouri and other opponents say legislators should focus instead on Medicaid expansion and lowering infant mortality rates in the state.
A coalition of 13 groups opposed to Greitens’ call also rallied Wednesday, with about 200 supporters.
Security at the Statehouse was tight during Greitens’ rally, which took place in the third floor Rotunda. A Missourinet reporter saw at least two Missouri state troopers and at least three Capitol Police officers. More were stationed downstairs.
Capitol Police escorted a woman out who began shouting at rally speaker Helen Risse, the RN at Our Lady’s Inn in St. Louis. Capitol Police also removed a man who shouted about Medicaid while Gov. Greitens spoke.
Click here to listen to the full two-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and State Sen. Bill Eigel (R-St. Charles), which was recorded on June 14, 2017 at the State Capitol in Jefferson City: