JEFFERSON CITY – Just six days after the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of a Missouri law that prohibits abortions for babies with Down syndrome, Gov. Mike Parson on July 14 rejected a call for a special session by pro-choice Democrats.
While the court ruling gives Missouri the power to enforce its ban on Down syndrome-related abortions, the policy was already enforced after Missouri enacted a statewide trigger ban of the procedure in June following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
Under the law, any physician or person who helps perform an abortion related to a Down syndrome child is subject to civil penalties, including the loss of professional licenses. The judgment reverses two earlier rulings that kept the state from enforcing the ban since 2019.
The court’s decision was followed by Parson’s rejection of a call for a special session by pro-choice Democrats seeking to protect access to contraception and a physician’s ability to treat ectopic pregnancies.
“No, not a special session, because you’re talking about a very complicated issue that’s going to take time to figure out,” Parson told reporters.
Parson signed the state’s current abortion law in 2019, and it went into effect June 24 following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. Missouri’s law bans abortions in all cases except medical emergencies.
“Governor Parson was right in not calling a special session for the two issues of ectopic pregnancy and contraception,” said Susan Klein with Missouri Right to Life. “Missouri pro-life laws are very clear in that they include a life of the mother exception, and clearly an ectopic pregnancy is a medical condition that endangers the life of the mother. Those who support abortion for any reason for all 9 months of pregnancy should stop using false information to mislead the general public about what our pro-life laws say and do. Missouri laws save unborn babies from the horrors of what an abortion is and in the case of an ectopic pregnancy, when the baby for whatever reason is outside of the mother’s womb, our laws protect that mother for a medical emergency that saves her life.”
Regarding contraception, Klein said Missouri laws do not prohibit contraception. “But our laws do address abortion drugs like RU 486 that intentionally take the life of an unborn child and endanger a woman. Don’t believe the misinformation of the pro-abortion supporters, they seek to only confuse the public. Our pro-life laws are very clearly written and are saving thousands of innocent little babies and are protecting women,” she said.
Meanwhile safety and security precautions are being taken by Missouri Right to Life facilities and crisis pregnancy centers throughout the state following acts of violence against pro-life supporting organizations across the nation.
“Those who support abortion, which is taking the life of innocent little babies in horrendous ways, are now on the attack of pregnancy resource centers and right to life organizations across the United States,” Klein said. “We see this anger also coming out in the attacks on our U.S. Supreme Court Justices who stood for the truth about what our constitution is all about; life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness which also serves to give us justice for all. We need to pray for those who are deceived by the abortion industry and for safety for all.”