Own it.

Today, from Governor Mike Parson (r):

Governor Parson Signs House Bill 126 and Senate Bill 21

May 24, 2019

Jefferson City — This morning at the State Capitol, Governor Parson joined with House and Senate members and pro-life coalition leaders to sign House Bill 126. The bill was passed by super-majorities in both the House and the Senate.

“By signing this bill today, we are sending a strong signal to the nation that, in Missouri, we stand for life, protect women’s health, and advocate for the unborn,” said Governor Mike Parson. “All life has value and is worth protecting.”

HB 126, also known as the “Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act”, prohibits an abortion in a non-medical emergency past eight weeks of gestational age and ensures the protection of women’s safety. HB 126 prohibits an individual from performing or inducing an abortion solely because of a diagnosis of potential for Down Syndrome in an unborn child or because of the race or sex of the unborn child.

HB 126 contains an emergency clause that requires written notification of a parent or guardian by the custodial parent or guardian of consent for an abortion to be performed on a minor. The bill expands the definition of a pregnancy resource center for tax credit purposes to include facilities that provide assistance to families as well. In addition, this bill removes the sunset and cumulative tax credit cap beginning in FY 2021 and increases the pregnancy resource center tax credit from 50 percent to 70 percent beginning January 1, 2021.

The Governor encourages all Missourians to get involved in efforts to support life in their communities, whether that’s opening your family’s home to adoption to assist children in need, volunteering at your local pregnancy resource center, or joining with your faith community to provide the necessary support to help individuals choose life.

Governor Parson continued, “Thanks to decades of pro-life leadership, Missouri recently hit an all-time low for the number of abortions. We’ve gone from a high of more than 20,000 in our state, to now below 3,000. By working together, we can continue to assist more Missourians in choosing life.”

[….]

The reviews are in:

Danielle Spradley @dubbledutched
A society that would force a child that has been raped by a family member to give birth to her rapist baby is not a just society. #HB126 is a sick perversion of religion used for political theater. #StopTheBans
12:54 PM – 24 May 2019 from Jefferson City, MO

Hon Stacey Newman @staceynewman
As they gleefully throw women under the bus as mandated birthers.
[….]
2:16 PM – 24 May 2019

Crystal Quade @crystal_quade
My statement on #HB126
[….]
11:03 AM – 24 May 2019

Sean Soendker Nicholson @ssnich
HB126 is bad policy, done poorly. #moleg
12:13 PM – 24 May 2019

From the ACLU of Missouri:

ACLU of Missouri Condemns Governor Parson’s Decision to Ban Abortion at 8-weeks, Will Pursue All Options to Keep this Measure from Going into Effect
May 24, 2019 – 11:15am

Governor Parson’s decision to sign Missouri’s extreme anti-abortion bill into law today is a horrific blow to healthcare in Missouri. This measure will drastically limit the ability of Missourians to access safe, legal abortion care and endanger the lives of minors.

Missourians recognize the right to an abortion is protected under the U.S. Constitution. The Missouri Legislature, trying to outdo the misguided and extreme examples of anti-choice zealots in Alabama, Ohio, Georgia, and Kentucky, has made its intention clear: it wants to ban all abortion. Preventing Missourians from accessing abortion after eight weeks, before some even know they are pregnant, is unconstitutional and dangerous.
Abortion access is healthcare. This law would criminalize doctors who perform abortions and force pregnant individuals to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term, even if the pregnancy is not viable or is risky for the mother. This measure will also require minors seeking an abortion to notify both parents prior to their abortion, even though minors are already required to have the written consent of a parent or guardian. This disregards the risk to teens who have an abusive or absent parent and delays their care.

“With Governor’s Parson’s decision to sign HB 126, he joins the other out of touch Republican leaders who fail to protect the right to an abortion even in cases of rape and incest,” said ACLU of Missouri Legislative and Policy Director Sara Baker. “This legislation puts politicians in the exam room and challenges the basic autonomy of Missourians. It is unconstitutional, and it must be stopped.”

Passing an eight week abortion ban is an example of government overreach and disregard for the constitutional rights of Missourians. The ACLU of Missouri will explore all options, including litigation, to block the law from going into effect.

“The Constitution gives pregnant individuals with their doctors the right to make the profoundly important and personal decision whether to terminate a pregnancy,” said Tony Rothert, Legal Director of the ACLU of Missouri. “Despite this political stunt, we will make sure that abortion remains legal in every state.”
Without further action, HB 126 will become law on August 28, 2019.

Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri @PPMO_Advocates
Let’s be clear: This bill does absolutely nothing to protect women’s health.

It is an extreme and dangerous ban on safe, legal abortion. #StopTheBans #MoLeg
[….]
11:40 AM – 24 May 2019

Previously:

HB 126 and HB 127: catering to their single issue base (December 3, 2018)

Gov. Mike Parson (r): Alabama, hold my beer… (May 15, 2019)

Gov. Mike Parson (r): New York is shorthand for what? (May 16, 2019)

Medieval (May 17, 2019)

Sen. Denny Hoskins (r): post session victory dance over any individal woman’s personal medical decisions (May 17, 2019)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): the 13th Century GOP in 21st Century America (May 20, 2019)