M’Evie Mead Archives

Parson signs bill to ban abortions at eight weeks

May 24, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

During a bill signing today at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City, Governor Mike Parson signed House Bill 126 into law banning abortions at eight weeks into pregnancies. In a press release, the governor says a coalition of pro-life leaders and legislative members joined him today for the bill signing. The media was not invited.

Governor Mike Parson addresses firefighters during the Missouri State Firefighters Day in Jefferson City on March 6, 2019 (file photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI}

“By signing this bill today, we are sending a strong signal to the nation that, in Missouri, we stand for life, protect women’s health, and advocate for the unborn,” said Parson in a press release. “All life has value and is worth protecting.”

On the last day of the Missouri Legislature’s regular session, the wide-ranging measure passed that bans doctors from doing abortions on women if a fetal heartbeat is heard. Physicians who violate the law face five to fifteen years in prison. It would also forbid doctors from doing abortions if the baby would have Down syndrome or for sex or race-selective abortions.

HB 126 makes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest. Additionally, the legislation requires both parents to be notified if a minor child wants an abortion.

According to Parson, the bill expands the definition of a pregnancy resource center for tax credit purposes to include centers providing assistance to families. It removes the sunset and cumulative tax credit cap beginning in FY 2021 and increases the pregnancy resource center tax credit from 50% to 70% beginning January 1, 2021.

Missouri Republican mega donor David Humphreys said Parson should veto the bill. In an email to the Kansas City Star, the Joplin businessman said he’s opposed to abortion but he supports a woman’s right to choose, particularly in rape or incest cases.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, thanked Parson for signing the “Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act”.

“The General Assembly has worked tirelessly over the last few months to send the Governor the boldest and most comprehensive pro-life bill in the country to stand for those without a voice. With today’s signing, Missouri’s law will reflect the values of Missourians across the state that believe every child is a gift from God and deserving of the fundamental Constitutional right to life,” said Haahr.

Senator Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, was on the front lines trying to negotiate with Republicans in her chamber on the bill.

“Governor Parson has outlawed abortion for all women, including victims of rape and incest. He has signed a law to take away a woman’s choice before she even knows she’s pregnant. With this new law, the Governor and his Republican Party have shown they don’t trust women, and are too extreme for most Missourians,” said Schupp in a press release.

M’Evie Mead with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Missouri issued a statement in response to the governor’s action today:

“People need to know that this ban is not in effect — yet. Abortion is still legal in this state and Planned Parenthood Advocates will do everything we can to protect access to abortion in Missouri — and hold these extreme politicians accountable for their attacks on our health care,” said Mead.

St. Louis holds Missouri’s lone abortion clinic.

The bill is expected to be blocked through a court challenge. Otherwise, it would become law on August 28.

Missouri Senate passes eight-week abortion ban bill

May 16, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

After about 15 hours of stalling and negotiating, the Missouri Senate has passed a bill that would ban abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy. During the wee hours this morning, the chamber endorsed the measure along party lines that includes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest cases. Under the plan, abortion doctors would face five to 15 years in prison for violating the eight-week limit.

State Senator Bob Onder

Lake St. Louis Republican Bob Onder, who was visibly outraged, does not think the legislation is tough enough. He says many things were stripped out of the original version.

“What in the world was the justification for why we can’t protect babies born alive after abortions,” he asks. “This should be entitled not the ‘Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act’ but ‘Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act – sort of kind of only after the minority party and the smartest Planned Parenthood lawyers in the country were done with the bill’. We should be ashamed of ourselves. This bill, yes, is better than nothing but is a shadow of what it once was.”

Onder also made a serious allegation about the trafficking of fetal tissue.

“They removed the ban on fetal tissue trafficking. Right now, I’ve become very convinced for a number of reasons, that there is active trafficking of aborted fetal tissue from the abortion clinic on Forest Park Avenue in St. Louis to Washington University School of Medicine,” he says.

Creve Coeur Democrat Jill Schupp disputes the claim.

“It’s already illegal and it’s simply untrue,” Schupp says. “It’s disappointing to me to hear the Senator speak that way.”

Sen. Jill Schupp (D-Creve Coeur)

M’Evie Mead with Planned Parenthood says the “rhetoric” is blatantly false and irresponsible.

Schupp goes on to say it is outrageous the bill does not contain exemptions for victims of human trafficking, rape or incest.

“House Bill 126 is still an extreme and egregious piece of legislation that puts women’s health at risk,” she says. “It is unconstitutional. It is dangerous.”

She says the proposal would also cap tax credits to pro-life pregnancy resource centers at a 70% return rate.

“This is an irresponsible move. We don’t know what the fiscal note from year to year will end up being,” Schupp says.

The proposal would also ban doctors from providing an abortion if the baby would have Down syndrome and abortions sought because of the sex or race of the child. The measure would require both parents to be notified if a minor child is seeking an abortion.

With two days to go in the legislative session, House Bill 126 heads back to the House.