“…The governor called for the Legislature to pass more medically unnecessary restrictions targeting abortion providers, and override a St. Louis City law that protects people from being fired or discriminated against for getting pregnant, using contraception or any other reproductive health decision…”

The General Assembly has been called into its second special session for this coming Monday, this time on the subject of abortion:

Governor Greitens Announces Pro-Life Special Session
June 7, 2017
Today, Governor Eric Greitens announced his plan to call the legislature back for a special session to protect the lives of the innocent unborn and protect women’s health. The session will focus on protecting pregnancy resource centers and proposals for common-sense health and safety standards in abortion clinics.
Governor Greitens explained his announcement in a Facebook video, stating:
“I’m pro-life, and I believe that we need to defend life and promote a culture of life here in the state of Missouri.
For me, that comes from the work I’ve done. I’ve worked with kids in Cambodia who’d lost limbs to land mines and who were survivors of polio. Children of the street in Bolivia, and children who were orphaned because of war and genocide.
I also saw the value of true love and compassion in one of Mother Theresa’s homes for the destitute and dying. I saw the power of faith leaders who stood up and affirmed that every life had value and worth. 
Our faith community and volunteers do incredible work to support people in need. And there’s few finer examples than the work pregnancy care centers do across our state.
These charitable organizations and community groups work with pregnant women and new moms. They offer newborn children food and clothing, offer free pre-natal care and ultrasounds, and help find women find housing and even pay for utilities. They help with adoption when needed, and protect women from domestic abuse. They even do job training and help women find jobs to support their new families.
In the city of St. Louis, some of these pregnancy care centers are under attack. There’s a new city law making St. Louis an abortion sanctuary city—where pregnancy care centers can’t work the way they’re supposed to. Politicians are trying to make it illegal, for example, for pro-life organizations to say that they just want to hire pro-life Missourians.
The Senate had a bill to address this during the session—but they failed to act. We’re calling a special session to support the people doing this vital work to help women and children.
I also believe that we should have common-sense health and safety standards in all medical facilities. A court decision from earlier this year weakened our state’s health standards in abortion clinics. So, we’re also proposing some basic, common-sense standards to keep Missourians safe.
We’re proposing, for example, that abortion clinics should have an annual safety inspection.
We’re proposing that these clinics should have a plan for complications.
And we’re proposing a fix that will stop abortion clinics from interfering with emergency responders. If a woman needs help, abortion clinics shouldn’t be able to tell an ambulance to come slowly–to not use their lights and sirens–or to go around to the back gate, just because they are worried that an ambulance arriving might make their abortion clinic look bad.
I’m proud to support life—the lives of mothers, their children, and the innocent unborn. It’s an honor to serve you, have a great day and God Bless.”
[….]

Interestingly, neither Medicaid expansion nor repeal of the death penalty are on the right wingnut agenda for the session. That makes this special session anti-abortion, not “pro-life”.

From Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri:

Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri Criticizes Gov. Greitens for Playing Politics with Missourians’ Health
For Immediate Release: June 7, 2017
Unnecessary and costly special session caters to anti-reproductive health extremists

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Governor Eric Greitens called on lawmakers to return to  Jefferson City for an extraordinary legislative session — costing Missouri taxpayers $20,000 a day — to restrict Missourians’ reproductive health and rights. The governor called for the Legislature to pass more medically unnecessary restrictions targeting abortion providers, and override a St. Louis City law that protects people from being fired or discriminated against for getting pregnant, using contraception or any other reproductive health decision. Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri opposes this extreme, frivolous and expensive effort to endanger women’s health with even more medically unnecessary restrictions on safe, legal abortion.

On the heels of a costly special session and just one month after regular session adjourned, Gov. Greitens is forcing lawmakers to return once again to push more measures that undermine individual rights to access sexual and reproductive health care.

M’Evie Mead, director of policy and organizing for Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri, issued the following statement:

“Since the November election, tens of thousands of Missourians have taken to the streets, filled town halls, and rallied to support reproductive rights, access to abortion, and affordable health care. Planned Parenthood supporters in Missouri, a list that grows by the thousands each month, will not tolerate politicians who promote more government intrusion into their personal reproductive health decisions and think the best use of tax dollars is on more government bureaucracy.

In just the past two years, Missouri lawmakers have rejected millions in federal funds and replaced it with precious, limited state dollars just so they can discriminate against patients and block their ability to access health care from providers that offer comprehensive reproductive health care. Governor Greitens should reject that irresponsible and deeply unpopular measure rather than invite the Legislature to pass more unconstitutional bills that restrict access to health care.”

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