Missouri Legislature Overrides Governor's Veto of Informed Consent Law

By Liz Townsend

Overriding Gov. Bob Holden's veto, the Missouri state legislature overwhelmingly passed a law allowing women to receive detailed medical information and then reflect for 24 hours before having an abortion.

The law is scheduled to go into effect October 11, but pro-abortion groups have filed a lawsuit that may delay its enactment.

"Women in any crisis situation deserve the right to sit down with a physician to have a medical consultation about their personal situation," said Pam Manning, president of Missouri Right to Life. "The law offers women a reasonable opportunity to reflect on how abortion will affect their lives."

With an exception for cases of medical emergency, the law requires an abortionist to confer with the woman at least 24 hours before an abortion can occur. The law states that an abortionist must discuss "the indicators and contra-indicators, and risk factors, including any physical, psychological, or situational factors for the proposed procedure." The woman must also be informed about any medications that will be used, and evaluated for possible complications from the abortion.

The law overwhelmingly passed both the House and Senate and was sent to the governor May 21. Gov. Holden vetoed the bill July 9, asserting that "the rights of women have been compromised," according to the Associated Press (AP).

Pro-lifers insisted that the bill actually protects women by giving them the knowledge they need to make an informed decision. "No other medical procedure is performed without first having a reflection period to digest important information," Mary Spaulding Balch, NRLC state legislative director, told NRL News, "especially when the patient is making a life or death decision. This law will protect women facing crisis pregnancies in Missouri."

By large margins, the Missouri Senate and House both agreed that women deserve to have informed consent before abortion. The House overrode Holden's veto on a vote of 120-35 September 10, and the Senate followed suit with a 25-8 vote September 11, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

However, the informed consent law may not go into effect 30 days after its passage, as originally scheduled. Planned Parenthood affiliates filed a federal lawsuit October 3 in an attempt to halt its enforcement. The suit challenges the law for being "unconstitutionally broad and vague," the AP reported.

Senior U.S. District Judge Scott O. Wright has scheduled a hearing October 8 to decide whether to grant an injunction against the law, according to the AP.