Missouri Governor Signs Bill Banning Abortions After 8 Weeks

On Friday, May 24, Missouri officially joined the ranks of states that have the strictest abortion laws. Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed House Bill 126, which makes abortions after being pregnant for eight weeks illegal. The fact that this bill has no exceptions for rape or incest makes it one of the most restrictive abortion policies in the nation- not as strict as the new Alabama abortion ban though, which bans abortions from conception onwards.

Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act

House Bill 126, otherwise referred to as the “Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act,” was signed by Governor Parson on Friday, after it had managed to get passed through the Missouri House and Senate. “By signing this bill today, we are sending a strong signal to the nation that, in Missouri, we stand for life, protect women’s health, and advocate for the unborn,” said Governor Mike Parson. “All life has value and is worth protecting.”

By signing House Bill 126 today, we are sending a strong signal to the nation that, in Missouri, we stand for life, protect women’s health, and advocate for the unborn.

All life has value and is worth protecting.

🔗https://t.co/pBMYZk0yuB pic.twitter.com/FUS1ncRndx

— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) May 24, 2019

HB 126 bans anyone from having an abortion after eight weeks of pregnancy, with the only exception being a medical emergency. This is shortly after Alabama passed the most restrictive abortion ban in the nation, which makes abortions illegal after conception. ^[1]

The new law will go into effect in Missouri on August 28 and doctors who continue to do abortions on people over eight weeks pregnant after that deadline could face up to 15 years in prison.

No Exceptions

“I have to believe that the politicians in Jeff City that voted for this bill would themselves support their wives or daughters’ right to choose if their loved ones were raped,” ^[2] said David Humphreys, a Missouri businessman, who encouraged lawmakers to repeal or amend the bill with an exception for those who had experienced rape or incest but in the end, the bill passed with the only exception being if the pregnancy was fatal towards the mother’s health.

“Is it a terrible thing that happens in those situations?” Parson said, defending the reason why he was signing the bill, “Yes it is. … But the reality of it is bad things do happen sometimes. But you have two months to decide what you’re going to do with that issue, and I believe in two months you can make a decision.” ^[3]

“Thanks to decades of pro-life leadership, Missouri recently hit an all-time low for the number of abortions. We’ve gone from a high of more than 20,000 in our state, to now below 3,000. By working together, we can continue to assist more Missourians in choosing life.” ^[4] Parson said at the signing of HB 126.