Missouri Contraception Law: Legislators Approve Bill Allowing Refusal Of Abortion Care

The Republican-controlled Missouri House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill Wednesday afternoon that would allow the denial of certain medical services to women for religious reasons, following an emotional debate where the majority leader was forced to deny he compared women to farm animals.

House Majority Leader Tim Jones (R-Eureka) was on the defensive following an analogy he made during discussion of the bill he sponsored. The legislation would allow medical professionals to deny services like abortion, contraception, male or female sterilization, assisted reproduction and cloning based on religious objections by medical staff. Jones talked about the need for medical teams to be on the same page during a procedure and to ensure that one team member does not object to it.

Jones cited a personal experience he had.

"My father's a veterinarian. I grew up in operating rooms," Jones said, referring to how crowded operating rooms can be. Jones, a corporate and tax appeals attorney, also said he has spent time watching operations on humans as part of being a legislator.

Rep. Susan Carlson (D-St. Louis) objected to Jones' analogy, suggesting that he was comparing women to farm animals. Carlson, who has become a leading opponent of the bill and characterized it as an "assault on women," quickly found herself under attack from Jones' allies.

"He was not comparing women to a veterinarian operation," Rep. Jeanie Riddle (R-Mokane) said. "He has been in hospitals around Missouri watching operations. To say he was comparing women to a veterinarian operation is disingenuine."

Neither Jones or Riddle said how many operations Jones has watched or why he was watching them. Riddle, a teacher, also said she has watched surgeries being performed.

"I do not believe that this bill downgrades women in any manner," Riddle said. "We're protecting Missouri citizens to take a word out of context from the bill handler is disingenuine."

The bill passed 113-41 with several Democrats joining Republicans to vote in favor. It is not known if the state Senate will take the bill up and Gov. Jay Nixon (D) has not indicated a position.

Jones and Republicans stressed several times that the bill is a "pro-worker" bill that provides hospital workers the right to not participate in certain procedures. The bill was amended in committee to specify which procedures could be objected to. The original version allowed objections to any medical procedure. The public health committee chairman, Rep. David Sater (R-Cassville), called the bill "a delight."

Rush Limbaugh and his beliefs on the national contraception debate were up briefly during the debate by two Democratic legislators, but House Speaker Steve Tilley (R-Perryville) gaveled the references out of order saying that the House was "not discussing talk show hosts." Other Republicans asked Tilley to stop references to Limbaugh.

The bill does not define a medical professional, a fact that concerns Democrats and Planned Parenthood officials. Paula Gianino, president of Planned Parenthood of St. Louis and southwestern Missouri, said the bill could be defined as allowing a receptionist or a billing clerk's objections to impact women's health.

While Jones and his allies tried to paint the bill as pro-women, opponents started calling it a "war on women."

"This is legalizing malpractice, that is wrong," said Rep. Stacy Newman (D-St. Louis). "If we are not getting accurate medical information in our time of crisis, this is a war on women."

Jones ended the debate with an angry, minute-long speech in which he took aim at his detractors and the news media, saying they are not mentioning Republican women. He said that Missouri Republican women have been holding top positions in the House caucus and characterized the words "war on women" as "partisan, evil, cruel statements."

"It is depressing and disgusting to ladies," Jones said of the Democratic arguments. "This bill has to do with protecting the religious liberties of workers."

Comments

[Peter Argent]

08:16 PM on 04/02/2012

Confusing women with chattle seems to be a popular Republican theme. http://www.zombielogicblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/dr-strangedog-on-transvaginal.html

[retromoderne]

10:54 AM on 03/31/2012

If a woman goes to a pharmacy, she has every right to expect that her prescription will be filled. If you are so morally opposed to these health services, either you should find a job where they are not expected - a nursing home, perhaps? - or choose a different career in the first place.

[Brandon Broze]

08:10 AM on 03/31/2012

Of course, I DO find a lot of these bills, like the transvaginal ultrasound ones, despicable nonetheless. But brushing off ALL folks on the other side of this debate is probably not the best the idea. We should try to find common ground with the more-reasonable folks on the other side of this issue.

[ritamary]

08:56 PM on 04/02/2012

Who are the reasonable ones "on the other side"? Limbaugh? Missouri House Majority Leader Tim Jones (R-Eureka) who knows about operating rooms because his father is a veterinarian?

[Brandon Broze]

08:07 AM on 03/31/2012

Prochoicers need to RESPECT the fact that a lot of people still find the practice disturbing and/or immoral, instead of just trashing their beliefs, calling them "anti-woman" or whatever and pretending like all those 45 or 40% of Americans who ARE prolife, to some extent, "don't matter' in this debate. They can't just BRUSH THEM OFF as if they have no place in this debate because, "It's already settled that it's a woman's right." Yes, legally it is, and I believe women DO have that right morally. HOWEVER, I also realize that this is a much more complex issue than people on both sides let on, and reasonable people CAN disagree!
Yes, there are extremist and ridiculous, troglodytic prolifers just like there are those kinds on the prochoice side.

HOWEVER, I'm sure at least a few prolifers in this country could just as easily muster an 'intelligent' argument WHY abortion is immoral (at least, sometimes) and/or may need to be regulated. I'm not saying I necessarily AGREE, but if the arguments were sound enough, I'd at least acknowledge that those particular individuals aren't just idiots with no legit reasons.

[ritamary]

09:02 PM on 04/02/2012

Who are the "extremist and ridiculous, troglodytic" people on the pro-choice side? Name names.

"a few prolifers in this country could just as easily muster an 'intelligent' argument WHY abortion is immoral." The arguments they muster are religious arguments. We have separation of church and state here, at least for the moment. They cannot foist their religious beliefs on the rest of us.

[LizzyD72]

09:29 AM on 04/04/2012

I have no ovaries, yet will need contraception for the rest of my life to protect my uterus from uterine cancer (which it is at risk for as it needs progesterin).

Since the pharmacist at the counter who would like to refuse my prescription for contraception on her stupid extremist religion thinks I'm immoral just for wanting the necessary service of having my prescription filled, I think it is SHE/HE who should get out of their job if they aren't willing to fill their client's needs.

This religious extremism is really ignorant, judgemental to an extreme and frankly a detriment to society. Wake up people! Our country is falling way behind and you're arguing over birth control? China now sees us as a country in decline, and they're right, and it has everything to do with our religious hang-ups.

[Brandon Broze]

07:50 AM on 03/31/2012

Can't INTELLIGENT liberals get their point across eloquently WITHOUT having to resort to such inflammatory rhetoric? "War on Women" just seems to further DIVIDE Americans (and galvanize liberals more than perhaps necessary to the point where they just react emotionally and in a knee-jerk fashion rather than thinking things through) who are already liberal and conservative and possibly DENY us more moderates or folks that are on-the-fence that might otherwise come to the aid of the Left, at least on this issue.

The rhetoric and framing on issues like abortion (both sides) just disgusts the hell out of me. "Anti-choice", "pro-abortion", whatever! All it does is galvanize knee-jerk thinkers on both sides who LOVE slogans but hate thinking for themselves.

[Will737]

03:37 PM on 04/24/2012

It wasn't liberals who wanted to invade women's bodies, deny them health care, and deny them contraception. That is conservatives all over the country.

Either women are cattle to be treated as property or they are human beings with the right to control their own bodies. There is nothing at all that is kneejerk about that choice. Nor is putting the choice starkly in terms of the actual truth inflamatory.

You clearly need to figure out which you think that they are. I wish you luck with dealing with your confusion.

[Brandon Broze]

07:44 AM on 03/31/2012

I'm all for expanding healthcare access, but my god, there's a LIMIT. What about PROPERTY RIGHTS? There are PLENTY of healthcare providers in this country that will willingly provide services like abortion, contraception, etc. I don't see WHY you guys have to try to dictate TO EVERY MEDICAL PROVIDER what he/she must do. I'm not a conservative, but that just seems like going a little too far even for me.

Are you saying that "reproductive rights"-related healthcare IS A RIGHT that ALL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS "must" provide no matter what??

Btw, is anyone else a little disturbed by the continuous framing of this as a "War on Women"? It seems a little divisive and overly simplistic, to say the least. No, it's not a "War on Women" simply b/c you don't get THE FULL FREEDOMS for things like coverage of the pill or abortion that you think you're 'entitled' to! Look, I'm as prochoice as the next guy here, but I'M NOT GONNA PRETEND THERE'S A PHONY "WAR ON WOMEN."

Until Republicans start introducing bills that will ACTUALLY say things like, "Women must be paid half of what a man makes regardless of job or qualifications", this "war on women" rhetoric is baloney, and you know it. Don't feminists and many prochoice liberals say this "War on Women" crap EVERY YEAR OR TWO? It's getting old. Stop it...

[retromoderne]

11:37 AM on 03/31/2012

No one expects "every" health care provider to offer abortions any more than they would expect "every" provider to do brain surgery or heart transplants. However, if a pregnant woman is in an accident, or for some other dire medical reason is taken to a hospital emergency and the only way to save her life is to terminate the pregnancy, it should be mandatory that it can be done. I don't care if the hospital is Catholic or any other religion. No woman should die because she happened to be closest to the "wrong" hospital when she required emergency help.

As for contraception, as long as there are willing, accessible providers it shouldn't be terribly difficult for a woman to go to a different doctor or clinic. However, it is more of a concern with the dispensary. If a small town has only one pharmacy and a woman needs emergency contraception, she should be able to get it without being turned away or having to drive a hundred miles to find it elsewhere. There is a time factor at play.

[hopeisalive]

01:14 PM on 03/31/2012

You really don't have to "pretend" anything. Missouri is a State of evangelicals who see the rantings of Mr. Limbaugh as truth, hence putting a bust of him in their State Rotunda. If you think that it is not phoney when States make laws to push laws that make women go through hoops and more personal agony than is necessary, that's your view, but many more, especially women, as seeing that this is the development of a theocracy not a democracy.

[Yikes11]

08:07 PM on 03/30/2012

So what, I posted that the Koch bros are gunning for Obama in a new advertising push. Read it in Politico. Just post the comment.

[Tena Marie Blanton]

07:47 PM on 03/30/2012

So I guess this means that we will now have new criteria in searching for a Physician. We now get to ask what their religious affiliation is and about their ideology. I wonder how long it will take the medical community to start raising a stink when their personal beliefs become part of a patients care plan and they start losing a lot of business because of it. I don't think they will care for it, anymore than we do.

[MissouriModerate]

08:11 PM on 03/30/2012

Some GOP legislators are doctors and are starting to speak up...better late than never, but should have said something sooner (maybe they tried...it's hard to talk to a fantatic.)

[NurseMaryforHumanRights]

03:57 PM on 03/30/2012

I was forced and drugged by my own mother because I refused an abortion. I was told my my physician I was legally to pregnant and felt I could finally go see my little sister. I was wrong and the person who killed my baby was my own mother. I am PRO-CHOICE, I had made my choice and hid because she was relentless and abusive. It happened anyway, I was almost 6 months and remember every second (30 years later). I wish I had died too. NO CHOICE, whatever it may be it was mine! For $600.00 and 300 miles in Tx she got what she thought I should have done.

[MerryMayhem]

07:25 PM on 03/30/2012

No one should force a woman to gestate or to abort. Any Dr. that didn't ask you what YOUR wishes were (are) should lose their medical license. PERIOD.

I am pro choice - whatever the WOMAN's Choice might be.

[PhoenixLady]

07:32 PM on 03/30/2012

I'm so sorry that happened to you. My mom once told me about a friend of hers who had a baby while she was in high school. Her parents forced her put it up for adoption which tore her apart. As a Mom myself, I can not even imagine doing something like that or what your mom did to my own daughter. I agree, you should have been allowed to make that choice not your mother or anyone else.

[jenniferkizzy]

03:15 PM on 03/30/2012

this just mean's women will just too un heard of mean's too now get an even more black market abortion jesus is this insanity ever going too end

[Kara Kramer]

01:49 PM on 03/30/2012

Can soldiers refuse to shoot the enemy on 'religious grounds' and still get paid at the end of the month?
The religious exemption for medical staff contravenes the hippocratic oath and is a nonsense.
If you can't do your job, ALL of your job, quit.
Don't expect patients to carry the can for your hang ups, it's immoral and unethical.

[retromoderne]

12:39 PM on 04/02/2012

It's like being trained as a cook, getting a job at a barbeque restaurant, then saying you have a religious objection to handling pork.

[BetterWorldWarrior]

02:22 AM on 04/21/2012

Soldiers kill dangerous enemies, not harmless babies.

[Will737]

03:40 PM on 04/24/2012

Get a high school Biology book. And this time read it. A fetus is not a baby. If you are still confused, try actually reading Roe v. Wade instead of just screaming about it.

[Jeanette Ulvila]

01:24 PM on 03/30/2012

All I can think of is Jeff Spicoli: Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.

[bluevespagirl]

11:19 AM on 03/30/2012

If I wanted the government in my uterus, I'd have sex with an elected republican.

Join us for the Unite Against the War on Women march going on across the country on April 28th. http://www.wearewomenmarch.net/

[MIZZOU-DMCRT-PLEXICO]

04:31 PM on 03/30/2012

f/f

Peace
Mizzou

[angrypatriot22]

10:32 AM on 03/30/2012

You cannot create a special class of persons in order to abridge their Constitutional rights.

[CognitoErgoSum]

12:17 AM on 03/31/2012

Which is what the Catholic bishops were trying to do, create a religious insituttions employees special class who rights they could abridge by making access to legal product cost prohibitive beyond what other women have to endure.

[Mike Macguinness]

10:15 AM on 03/30/2012

These Bozos keep talking about various individual liberties they wish to insure by taking away various individual liberties. Such hypocrisy rivals prohibtion, and the Great Depression a the Republican party looks forward to bringing back at least the Depression.

[Arthur Walsh]

10:23 AM on 03/30/2012

They already did that! Now working on prohibition with a new goal!

[icwhite02]

03:54 PM on 03/30/2012

That makes a sick kind of sense! they're trying to create a PROHIBITION ON SEX by going after contraception! DO THEY REALLY THINK THEY CAN STOP PEOPLE FROM HAVING SEX? MUUUUHAHAHAHA!