Missouri Right to Life
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
March 29, 2012
For Information:
573-635-5110
MISSOURI HOUSE AND SENATE PASS SEPARATE PRO-LIFE BILLS ADDRESSING THE RIGHTS OF RELIGIOUS CONSCIENCE AND CONTINUATION OF PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER TAX CREDITS
The Missouri House and Senate today rewarded the efforts of over 3,000 people who attended the Rally for Religious Liberty this past Tuesday by passing separate legislation protecting religious freedom and rights of conscience and extending tax credits for Pregnancy Resource Centers.
The Senate passed SB 749 which provides protections against the HHS mandate that all businesses, including religious institutions and those affiliated with such institutions, provide coverage for services that are counter to the moral teachings of that religion. By ensuring that no employer, health plan provider, health plan sponsor, health care provider, or any other person or entity shall be compelled to provide coverage for, or be discriminated against or penalized for declining or refusing coverage for, abortion, contraception, or sterilization in a health plan if such items or procedures are contrary to the religious beliefs or moral convictions of such employer, health plan provider, health plan sponsor, health care provider, person, or entity, SB 749 specifically addresses the mandate from the Obama Administration and sends a strong message to Washington.
Also today, the House gave final approval to HCS HB 1541, a broader conscience clause bill that specifies that anyone providing or participating in a medical procedure or research cannot be required to participate or provide services that violates his or her religious, moral, or ethical principles that are adherent to a sincere and meaningful belief in God or in relation to a supreme being.
“The mandate for religious institutions to participate in destroying innocent human life goes against the core religious beliefs of many faiths. This attack on our religious freedom is in stark opposition to our first amendment right to practice our religion. Make no mistake, the attack by the Obama Administration has nothing to do with women accessing contraception,” said Pam Fichter, President of Missouri Right to Life, “but is an attack on the religious freedom guaranteed by our Constitution.”
“Missouri Right to Life thanks all the religious leaders and pro-life citizens who united in this cause at the Capitol this past Tuesday and congratulates the members of the Missouri House and Senate who supported this important legislation,” said Fichter.