Missouri legislative Democrats say they’ll seek a repeal of the state’s abortion clinic laws in light of a Supreme Court ruling, but an attorney for Senate Republicans says there’s no reason for that attempt to go anywhere.
Sen. Jill Schupp (D-Creve Coeur)
The U.S. Supreme Court two weeks ago struck down Texas laws requiring abortion clinics there to meet the standards of ambulatory surgical centers, and requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. Missouri has similar laws, and Senator Jill Schupp (D-Creve Coeur) plans to file a bill to repeal them.
“In Texas those things were found to be what we’ve always known they were, which was interference with a woman’s ability to access a safe and legal abortion,” said Schupp. “Now that they have been ruled unconstitutional, specifically in the state of Texas, we are very hopeful that we can make sure that they are repealed also here in the State of Missouri.”
Senator Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis) and Representative Stacey Newman (D-St. Louis) also expressed support for a repeal.
General Counsel to Senate Majority Republicans Todd Scott told Missourinet there are differences between the laws in Missouri and Texas.
“While the two touch on the same subject matter, they’re not identical,” said Scott, “the Texas law being more specific in terms of requirements on doctors and so forth.”
Scott said Missouri’s laws are a policy statement by legislators elected by Missourians that point out their position on abortion issues.
“A lot of the protections that we’ve built up over the years have come from this understanding that the people of Missouri have elected overwhelmingly pro-life majorities in the House and Senate. They want, and they expect, that Missouri law reflects their own views and their own morals on the subject,” said Scott. “If there is legislation filed to repeal certain abortion laws that would protect the safety and health of women, those bills, I am quite confident, will go nowhere.”
Senator Schupp will also seek a repeal of a law that requires a woman wait 72 hours before having an abortion in Missouri.
