Today, April 7, 2011 the Missouri Senate passed SB 65, The Ban on Late-Term Abortions sponsored by President Pro-Tem Sen. Robert Mayer. SB 65 prohibits abortions on unborn children after 20 weeks gestation, a point at which an unborn child is fully capable of feeling pain. The bill passed the Senate on a vote of 27-5 . SB 65 now moves to the House. The House version of this bill, HB 213, sponsored by Representative Tim Jones passed the House on March 17, 2011.
“Missouri Right to Life applauds the Missouri Senate for their timely passage of SB 65. Scientific evidence tells us that an unborn baby at 20 weeks of age has all body systems working, reacts to stimuli, can hear noises outside the womb and recognizes her mother’s voice. Testimony from the medical community tells us that unborn children of this age are able to feel pain,” said Pam Fichter, President of Missouri Right to Life.
“Missouri Right to Life began working on the passage of this legislation in mid-2010. We were motivated by the passage of the Nebraska Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act in 2010. That legislation, written by The National Right to Life Committee, banned abortion in Nebraska past 20 weeks and caused abortionist Roy Carhart to move his late-term abortion business to other states. Missouri Right to Life considers this its primary piece of legislation,” Fichter continued. “While abortion at any stage of development is an offense against human dignity, certainly we can all agree that subjecting unborn children to the horrible pain of abortion is unacceptable in a civilized society. Unborn Children are the most vulnerable members of the human family and cannot speak for themselves. Our shared humanity compels us to protect the most vulnerable among us, and we are grateful to Sen. Mayer, Representative Tim Jones and all the legislators who supported this legislation” concluded Fichter.
In addition, the Missouri House passed HB 28, The Pharmacy Protection and Abortion Drug Regulation Bill. This bill protects pharmacies from being forced, through threat of lawsuit, to carry abortion causing drugs. The bill sponsor is Representative David Sater. HB 328, sponsored by Representative Andrew Koenig, was combined with HB 28. HB 328 regulates the distribution of the dangerous abortion drug, RU 486. The combined bill passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 118 to 38. It now moves to the Senate for consideration. “We are grateful to Representatives Sater and Koenig and all the House members who voted for HB 28,” said Pam Fichter.