Abortion Requirements Pass MO State Senate

The Missouri State Senate just passed legislation which will create a list of information that a doctor must provide to a woman 24 hours prior to performing an abortion. According to the Columbia Missouran, these include:

• "Illustrated handouts from the Department of Health detailing abortion risks and physical characteristics of the unborn child's development in two-week increments, with the statement: 'The life of each human being begins at conception. Abortion will terminate the life of a separate, unique, living human being',
• The gestational age of the fetus,
• An opportunity to view an ultrasound and hear the heartbeat of the unborn child,
• Information on available medical assistance and counseling resources,
• Contact information for rape crisis and domestic violence centers, and
• Details on the father's liability for child support"

Besides the reuired handout stating that "The life of each human being begins at conception," most of this is innocuous. Planned Parenthood is especially angry because the law would require all this information to be provided in person. This would prevent same-day abortions and change much of the pre-procedure meetings that Planned Parenthood sets up ahead of time. The Speaker of the Missouri House seems confident that it can get through the House, saying, "I'm confident we'll get a bill on the governor's desk...We'll work together, and see what we can work out." You can read more about this at CNBC and at the article referenced previously.