A 
memo from Missouri Right to Life:
Missouri Senate passes version of HB 46 &
434 that will endanger Missouri Women
On the evening of May 13, the Missouri Senate, passed a version of HB 46 & 434 that will, for years to come, endanger Missouri women seeking abortions. The senate substitute repeals sections 188.027 and 188.039 of the current Missouri Statutes. Section 188.039 now contains the current informed consent requirements and the 24-hour reflection period. The senate substitute reenacts 188.027 with some portions of 188.039 included, however there are critical problems with this senate version.The senate substitute for HB 46 & 434 creates a two-tiered system of enforcement based on how frequently an abortion clinic does abortions. Abortion clinics that perform abortions no more than one-day-a-week (supposedly only the Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia, Mo.) are exempt from the new informed consent provisions – offering an ultrasound, fetal development information, abortion alternatives, etc. – for three years (until August 2012), but such one-day-a-week clinics must (supposedly) comply with the old, 2003 women’s right to know law. Clinics that perform abortions more than one-day-a-week (one in Kansas City and two in St. Louis) will be exempt from the 2003 law while (supposedly) complying with the new law.
The abortion industry in Missouri will, no doubt, challenge the new law in court. A temporary injunction will be granted, which in effect will suspend not only the new law until the court case is settled but will also suspend the informed consent provisions and reflection period in the current law. Court battles of this nature have, in the past, taken years to be decided. For example, Missouri’s partial-birth abortion ban was passed in 1999 and not finally upheld until 2007. The result of this will be no informed consent or 24-hr reflection period in Missouri for many years to come. The senate sub also totally removed protection for women who may be coerced into having an abortion.
Call your Representatives and Senators ask them to take up and pass the original HCS HB 46 & 434.
Please pray for those legislators assigned to the conference committee that will decide the final version of HCS HB 46 & 434.
We are in the last 24 hours of the legislative session. The legislators have until 6:00 p.m. Friday May 15th to prevent the passage of the senate version and enact the original HCS HB 46 & 434.