Historic pro-life bill poised for passage
Omnibus legislation will save babies, protect teen mothers
By Lee Warren
Contributing Writer
April 19, 2005
JEFFERSON CITY – For the last seven years, Sen. John Loudon (R-Ballwin) has been fighting to see Senate Bill 2—the bill that would close loopholes and modify numerous state abortion laws—become a reality. His perseverance is paying off.
The bill passed the Senate on April 21 and made its way to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to receive widespread support.
Kerry Messer, lobbyist, Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) Christian Life Commission, said that there are so many solid pro-life provisions in the bill that it is being referred to as an omnibus pro-life bill.
“In my 20 years of working with the Legislature, I have never seen an omnibus pro-life bill,” Messer said. “It never occurred under previous administrations.”
Messer points to two provisions in the bill that will have an immediate impact upon the lives of the unborn if it passes the House and is signed into law by the governor.
“The ‘next friend’ is a provision that according to state records could have an impact on as many as 400 abortions a year,” Messer said. “There is also a provision that puts civil penalties on people who would take a minor across state lines for an abortion to circumvent parental consent. That provision is estimated to save 400 or more babies a year.”
Current Missouri law allows minors, who can demonstrate that they would be subjected to abuse from a parent upon revealing their pregnancy, to approach a court with the aid of a “next friend” to seek permission for an abortion. SB 2 would clarify the term “next friend” to exclude any persons or entities who have a financial interest or potential gain from helping a minor to obtain an abortion.
Illinois does not have a parental consent law regarding abortion and Loudon said that Illinois “stands alone in their shame” because none of their bordering states allow abortions without parental consent.
As admirable as it would be if the bill was only focused on saving babies, Loudon said that it goes beyond that.
“Saving babies is the number one (priority with this bill),” Loudon said. “But I’d say protecting the girls in a vulnerable situation and being sure that the official position of the state is to continue to recognize the primacy of the parental role is a real close second.”
Messer agrees with Loudon.
“Not only would we be saving those babies, but we would be taking the first step of putting that many (approximately 800) teen mothers on the right track biblically of salvaging their lives.”
As SB 2 passed the Senate and went to the House, Loudon felt confident that there would be enough pro-life votes to pass the bill and have it delivered to Gov. Blunt’s desk.
“I feel really good about it,” Loudon said. “The House is generally considered to be the more efficient body and it’s easier to maintain discipline there and get something through. There’s no reason under the leadership of (Speaker) Rod Jetton that they can’t run this bill through.”
If that happens, a spokesperson in the governor’s office said that the governor, an anti-abortion Republican who attends Second Baptist Church, Springfield, and listens to the pro-life teaching of Pastor John Marshall, will sign the bill into law.
“Governor Blunt is pro-life and he does support Senate Bill 2,” said Blunt spokesperson Jessica Robinson. “There are several provisions in Senate Bill 2 that were included in Governor Blunt’s State of the State address. One of those is the provision that any person who helps a minor across state lines for the purpose of attaining an abortion would be liable to the minor and their parents for an illegal act.”
Messer praised Loudon for being steadfast to persevere through political climates that were hostile to SB 2.
“You’re going to see and hear dozens of legislators trying to take credit,” Messer said. “Most of them probably deserve credit for one portion or another. But Sen. Loudon really deserves credit for orchestrating the creation of the state’s first-ever omnibus pro-life bill.”