UPDATE: House passes pro-life bill in special session

In a 110 – 38 vote Tuesday afternoon, the Missouri House of Representatives passed a House committee substitute for Senate Bill 5.

Amendments were debated for hours but ultimately only two Republicans received enough votes to be added to the bill.

SB 5 modifies several provisions governing abortion clinics and the updated House version adds more restrictions.

Added to the bill is a measure that would override a St. Louis city ordinance aimed at protecting women who have had abortions or take birth control from discrimination. Pro-life lawmakers say that ordinance makes St. Louis an “abortion sanctuary city.”

The House version also gives the state attorney general the authority to prosecute any abortion law violations without first notifying local prosecutors.

It also would require an abortion facility to provide evidence that each person authorized to perform abortions is a licensed physician in Missouri; allow the Health Department to make annual unannounced inspections; and require that all organs and tissue removed at the time of an abortion be submitted to a pathologist for examination.

There was some heated debate between representatives Tuesday.

Rep. Peter Merideth, a Democrat representing St. Louis, had some issues with the language that required doctors to go over the immediate and long-term risks of abortions with their patients at least 72 hours before the procedure.

Merideth argued that doctors are ethically required to do this with all types of surgeries, yet there are no state statutes that specifically require them to.

“We’re only doing it for abortion because we want to actually put into statute something that would deter women from having abortions, is that fair to say?” Merideth asked. The amendment sponsor, Rep. Jay Barnes said that was not correct.

One amendment that also caused some controversy that ultimate failed was sponsored by Rep. Mike Moon, a Republican from a district between Joplin and Springfield.

According to opponents of the amendment, Moon’s proposal would require women who have been the victim of rape or incest and become pregnant from that crime, to carry their baby to full term.

Rep. Tracy McCreery suggested Moon was not being compassionate to crime victims.

“So what you’re saying is you’re OK with telling a woman who has become pregnant as a result of a violent intimate crime like rape or sexual assault that she’s has to carry that fetus to term,” McCreery said.

Moon also seemed to compare rape to a home invasion.

“If a neighbor of mine’s house is broken into and the person is found who perpetrated the crime, and instead of prosecuting the individual they go to that person’s son or daughter … So if a nuthead goes out and rapes a woman and impregnates her and they say (to) that woman, ‘That son or daughter that you’re carrying needs to die, it’s OK. We’re not going to prosecute the demented individual who raped you but yet that child that you’re carrying, go ahead and kill it so you can satisfy your emotions.'”

McCreery said that was not an accurate comparison considering rape is a “personal and violent crime,” and “one of the most intimate violent crimes that can happen to a woman.”

Later in the debate, Rep. Bruce Franks, who has been critical of this special session, began discussion about why this special session is being considered “pro-life” but is only focusing on abortion bills.

“This is not Republican, Democrat anymore,” Franks said. “We did our job. We sent the bills over and they didn’t get through. We went through the process. And now we’re here in this extraordinary session.”

Franks and Rep. Cora Faith also began discussing infant mortality rate, specifically for black babies.

Faith said black babies in St. Louis are four times more likely than white babies to not reach their first birthday.

Franks also spoke about the St. Louis Planned Parenthood which is located in the area he represents. Franks said that Planned Parenthood location is one of the only sources of health care for his black constituents. He said abortion services is only about 4 percent of the services performed at that location.

“At the end of the day pro-life issues extend beyond abortions,” Franks said. “If I say black lives matter, and your rebuttal is all lives matter, then you’re not pro-life.”

Faith also had an amendment that ultimately failed to be adopted. Her amendment would establish reporting requirements for “alternative to abortion agencies” including when a woman comes to the agency for assistance (by measuring the gestational age of the pregnancy), the demographics of the patients who seek help from these agencies, and any other information as required by the Department of Health.

Faith argued if the state is going to be issuing several millions of dollars in credits to these agencies, the state should know if they’re effective.

Since the House has altered the bill sent to it by the Senate, the Senate must now discuss the changes and either accept them or work with the House on a compromise.