The Missouri Senate passed a bill yesterday to ban abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy, which will now move forward to GOP governor Mike Parsons for certification.
What We Know…
- The bill has grabbed attention as Alabama passed abortion restrictions earlier this week. The House and Senate both voted to pass the bill that will prohibit abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy, or when a fetal heartbeat is detected. The Missouri bill is called the “Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act” and does not include any exceptions for rape or incest.
- Missouri is now the eighth state to pass abortion restrictions this year, Alabama’s being the most restrictive by outright banning abortions. Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, Arkansas and Utah have all passed abortion restrictions this year.
- Missouri representatives have contributed to the long list of problematic quotes that have come from this wave of anti-abortion legislation; Representative and former law enforcement officer Barry Hovis defended the bill because of its eight-week grace period and explained arguments about rape are complicated because “most of them [are] date rapes or consensual rapes.”
- Representative Holly Rehder also criticized requests for legal exceptions for babies conceived of rape or incest, explaining that individuals should be able to care for a child of rape or incest “with the love of God.”
- The bill has an “emergency clause” which will make the law go into effect immediately as Parsons certifies the bill with his signature.
- The debate about the bill was reported to be “solemn” and tense from individuals who watched from the gallery.
Missouri is likely not the last state to pass similar legislation.
