SPONSOR: Anderson
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Children and Families by a vote of 8 to 3. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules- Administrative Oversight by a vote of 5 to 2.
This bill requires an abortion facility or family planning agency located in Missouri that provides a woman considering an abortion the name, address, telephone number, or website of an abortion provider located outside of Missouri to also provide the woman with specified printed materials produced by the Department of Health and Senior Services. If the referral information is not provided to the woman in person, the printed materials must be offered to the woman and if she chooses, sent to the woman at no cost to her the same day or as soon as possible by United States mail overnight delivery service or another overnight or same-day delivery service. The department must furnish such printed materials at no cost and in sufficient quantities to abortion facilities and family planning agencies located in Missouri.
This bill is the same as HB 1946 (2018).
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that women need access to this information to make an informed choice, even if they are going out of state.
Testifying for the bill were Representative Anderson; Missouri Right to Life; Missouri Catholic Conference; Missouri Family Network; and Campaign Life Missouri.
OPPONENTS: Those who oppose the bill say that there are better ways to help these women, such as with health care and birth control, than with this information.
Testifying against the bill was Planned Parenthood Advocates.
Statutes affected: