Missouri Senate passes bill banning abortion at 8 weeks
Missouri is the latest state to advance legislation restricting abortion access.
The Missouri Senate on Thursday passed a bill banning abortion at eight weeks, The Associated Press reports. The bill provides exceptions in cases of medical emergencies, but not in cases of rape or incest. The legislation was passed in a 24-10 vote, and it now needs approval in the House, where Republicans have the majority.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) has indicated he will sign the bill into law, saying it will make Missouri "one of the strongest pro-life states in the country." If the bill is passed, doctors who perform abortions after 8 weeks would face between five and 15 years in prison.
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This comes after Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed into law the nation's most restrictive abortion law, which outlaws nearly all abortions except in cases of a "serious health risk" or if the "unborn child has a lethal anomaly."
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) last week also signed a bill into law banning most abortions after doctors can detect a fetal heartbeat, which typically occurs at about six weeks. These bills are expected to face legal challenges, and Ivey said upon signing the Alabama law that while it may be "unenforceable" in the "short term," it presents the Supreme Court with an "opportunity" to "revisit" Roe v. Wade.
