Missouri may soon join in
national abortion-ban parade
By Staff
March 7, 2006
JEFFERSON CITY – Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, wants Missouri to join with South Dakota and Mississippi as states where most abortions are banned in a direct challenge to the viability of Roe v. Wade.
Crowell filed a bill March 1 that would generally ban abortions in the state, except to prevent a woman’s death, the Associated Press reported. Anyone who performs an abortion in violation of the law would face a felony charge, with a sentence of five to 15 years in prison. The senator also is backing a constitutional amendment proposal that Missouri voters could weigh in on in November.
“The rights of the unborn include the right to be born, and it’s time that Missouri recognizes, respects and protects unborn human life,” Crowell said in an email dispatch released March 1 by his office.
Gov. Matt Blunt, a Republican who considers himself to be pro-life, said lawmakers ought to focus more on bills that would reduce the number of abortions in Missouri as opposed to bills that set up court battles, the Associated Press reported.