THE MISSOURI HOUSE PASSED NEW RESTRICTIONS ON ABORTION

Winchester, VA – The Washington Times and the Kansas City Star are reporting that the Missouri House has passed a modified version of a Senate bill restricting abortions. Governor Eric Greitens had called the special session of congress to specifically deal with abortion law after a federal judge struck down some of the state’s regulations on abortion. The new laws seek to overturn a St. Louis ban on firing, refusing to hire, or disciplining a woman for unwed pregnancy, abortion, artificial insemination or contraceptive use, a ban which the governor said turned St. Louis into an abortion sanctuary city. The law gives the attorney general the power to prosecute offenses against the abortion laws, a power which before was only given to local prosecutors. Lastly, it imposes yearly, unannounced on-site inspections and investigations of abortion clinics, to be sure they are staying up to code.