JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri, April 7, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Missouri Senate has enacted a new late-term abortion ban that prohibits abortions after 20 weeks gestation, unless the abortionist can prove that the unborn child is not viable. The law’s upper limit for abortion mirrors other legislation that cites substantial medical evidence suggesting an unborn child feels pain at that stage in its development.
The state Senate passed the late-term abortion ban SB 65, by a vote of 27-5. The measure was sponsored by Sen. Robert Mayer (R-25), the Senate’s president pro-tempore.
Earlier in March, the House passed its own version of the bill, HB 213, by a 119-38 margin.
SB 65 will now head to the House. Once lawmakers are satisfied with the measure it will proceed to Gov. Jay Nixon for approval. Nixon is pro-abortion, but has allowed pro-life bills to enter into law without either issuing a veto or giving his signature.
“Missouri Right to Life applauds the Missouri Senate for their timely passage of SB 65,” said Pam Fichter, President of Missouri Right to Life. “Scientific evidence tells us that an unborn baby at 20 weeks of age has all body systems working, reacts to stimuli, can hear noises outside the womb and recognizes her mother’s voice. Testimony from the medical community tells us that unborn children of this age are able to feel pain.”
The law has exceptions for the physical life of the mother and in cases of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. Nonetheless, even in such cases the measure still requires an abortionist to make efforts to end the pregnancy in a way that maximizes the unborn child’s chances of survival. If the abortionist cannot do this, because the risks to the mother are too great, then he has to detail his reasons in an individual report to the state board of healing arts.
The doctor will also need a second concurring opinion from an independent physician with no “legal or financial affiliation or relationship” in order to perform the abortion on a viable baby. And finally, the abortionist will have to have another physician present when he induces the woman to end the pregnancy, who can then immediately take steps to try to save the viable unborn child born from the abortion.
Abortionists who deliberately violate the law could face a felony charge carrying at least one year in prison, and incur fines between $10,000 and $50,000. Both abortionists and hospitals violating the law could lose their licenses – for a minimum of three years – to practice medicine or operate.