MCC applauds Governor's Signature on Anti-Abortion Bill

July 9, 2007, JEFFERSON CITY, MO – On Friday, July 6, 2007, Governor Matt Blunt signed into law HB 1055, an omnibus anti-abortion bill which makes permanent the Alternatives to Abortion program, prohibits abortion providers from providing sex education in Missouri schools, and regulates abortion clinics. The Governor promoted the pro-life bill by flying around the state and conducting ceremonial bill signings at locations throughout Missouri – Life Choices in Joplin, Concord Baptist Church in Jefferson City, Fort Zumwalt West Library in O’Fallon, and Holy Family Catholic Church in Hannibal, Missouri.

The Alternatives to Abortion program provides services during pregnancy and for one year after the birth of the child including prenatal care, medical and mental health care, parenting skills, newborn and infant care, education services, housing, clothing, food, supplies related to pregnancy, newborn care and parenting and adoption assistance. Catholic Charities of St. Louis and Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph are among a consortium of faith-based agencies that provide these vital services.

In addition to prohibiting abortion providers from providing sex education in Missouri schools, HB 1055 also allows public schools to present an abstinence-only sex education program. Abortion providers have misrepresented the bill as requiring abstinence-only programs but the bill allows school districts to choose between abstinence-only and other types of sex education programs, provided that the programs do no incorporate instruction or materials provided by abortion providers. The bill also prohibits grade schools and high schools from referring girls for abortions.

Another provision of the bill regulates abortion clinics by requiring clinics which perform five or more first-trimester, or any second- or third-trimester abortions a month, to be licensed as an ambulatory surgical center. Abortion clinics will have to provide such standard medical services such as having CPR-trained personnel on-site, a physician on the premises and immediately available to the patient in the recovery room, and open to inspection from the Department of Health and Senior Services during normal business hours.

“We are pleased that the Governor has supported this legislation and has signed the bill into law,” said Deacon Larry Weber, Executive Director of the Missouri Catholic Conference, “HB 1055 will go a long way towards ensuring that women have access to the services they need to encourage them not to have abortions and to regulating the activities of abortion providers.”