The General Assembly is in its second extraordinary session called by the governor, by news accounts costing the taxpayers of Missouri $20,000.00 a day. The subject is abortion.
Democratic Party members of the House have filed bills which the republican majority won’t be inclined to allow to move forward.
Representative Deb Lavender (D) – [2016 file photo].
HB 4 — REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES [pdf]
SPONSOR: Lavender
This bill requires all organizations that provide pregnancy-related services or counseling to provide medically accurate and unbiased information about birth control, adoption, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. The bill defines pregnancy-related services as services including, but not limited to, family planning, abortion care, prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care.
This bill is similar to HB 236 (2017)
You’d think such organizations would do so without legislation requiring it. You’d think.
HB 5 — INFANT MORTALITY PREVENTION FUND [pdf]
SPONSOR: Lavender
This bill creates the Infant Mortality Prevention und to receive 2.7 million from the Board of Registration for the Healing Arts Fund by June 30, 2018. The moneys in the Infant Mortality Prevention und are to fund grants to reduce infant mortality rates and may only be granted to public health agencies that are located in the eight counties that have the highest infant mortality rates in the state. The Department of Health and Senior Services is to administer the fund and determine eligibility for public health agencies.
“Hearing not scheduled”. That tells you all you need to know.
HB 8 — ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES [pdf]
SPONSOR: Quade
This bill changes the laws regarding the dispensing of contraceptives.
PRACTICE OF PHARAC The bill adds the prescribing and dispensing of self-administered oral hormonal contraceptives to the definition of the practice of pharmacy (Section 33.010, RSMo).
HORMONAL CONTRACEPTIVE This bill permits a pharmacist to prescribe self-administered oral hormonal contraceptives to a person who is 18 years of age or older regardless of whether the person has evidence of a previous prescription and to a person under 18 years of age if the person has evidence of a previous prescription. The Board of Pharmacy shall adapt rules to establish standard procedures for the prescribing of self-administered oral hormonal contraceptives by pharmacists. All state and federal laws governing insurance coverage of contraceptives shall apply to self-administered oral hormonal contraceptives prescribed under the provisions of the bill (Section 33.660).
CONTRACEPTIVE REIMBURSEMENT The bill requires each health carrier or benefit plan that offers or issues health benefit plans in Missouri and provides coverage for contraceptives to reimburse a health care provider or dispensing entity for dispensing a three-month supply of a prescription contraceptive for the first dispensing to an insured and a three-month supply for a refill of the same contraceptive, regardless of whether the insured as enrolled in the health benefit plan or policy at the time of the first dispensing. The coverage required under these provisions must not be subject to any greater deductible or co-payment than similar health services provided by the health benefit plan (Section 376.1240).
This bill is similar to HB 233 (2017) and HB 167 (2016).
This bill includes the truly agreed and finally passed language in Section 33.010 included in SB 01 (2017).
Nope, the republicans aren’t gong to allow it.
Representative Stacey Newman (D) [2016 file photo].
HB 10 — CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTERS [pdf]
SPONSOR: Newman
This bill changes the laws regarding health care services.
SAFE AND RELIABLE CARE The bill allows the Department of Health and Senior Services to adopt rules governing complication plans to ensure patients of crisis pregnancy centers have access to safe and reliable care (Section 188.021, RSMo).
TRAINED MEDICAL STAFF The bill requires the presence of appropriately trained medical staff for any medical procedure performed in a crisis pregnancy center to the same degree as required by other specialized health clinics in this state (Section 188.340).
TAX CREDITS AND PUBLIC FUNDING The bill states that if any pregnancy crisis center fails to comply with certain provisions, then the center shall be ineligible for any tax credits issued by the state or for any public funding (Section 188.345).
TRUTH IN MEDICINE ACT This bill creates the “Truth in Medicine Act” that prohibits a government health care agency or any organization that receives government health care funding from endorsing five specific lies about abortion, as specified in the bill (Section 188.345).
DISCLOSURE OF HEALTH SERVICES The bill changes the law regarding entities that provide pregnancy related services without the employment and supervision of a physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, registered nurse, or nurse midwife.
The provisions of this bill apply to any entity that primarily provides pregnancy-related services and advertises or solicits patrons with offers to provide prenatal sonography, pregnancy tests, or pregnancy options counseling unless all of the public locations of the entity employs one or more specified health professionals that must be present when medical services or treatment is provided.
Each entity must provide a written notice of specified services provided. The notice must be conspicuously placed at all of the entrances where the specified services are provided, in all waiting areas, on any website maintained by the entity that refers to the services, and in all advertisements promoting the services or entity providing the services.
The bill prohibits an entity that collects health information from a patron from disclosing the patron’s health information without the written authorization of the patron. Upon receipt of a written request from a patron of the entity to examine or obtain a copy of the patron’s health information, an entity must make health information available to the patron at no charge.
If any person violates these provisions, the department must serve a written notice informing the person of the violation and stating that the person may avoid an administrative penalty by curing the violation within five days of the service of the notice. If the person fails to cure the violation within five days of the date of service of the notice, the department must impose an administrative penalty.
A person is entitled to a contested case hearing to dispute any administrative penalty imposed under these provisions. Any administrative decision must be subject to judicial review in accordance with Chapter 536. All administrative penalties recovered under these provisions must be deposited in the state General Revenue Fund and available for general governmental expenses. Nothing in these provisions must be construed to prohibit the department from maintaining an action in the name of the state for injunction or other process against any person to restrain or prevent a violation of a requirement or prohibition under these provisions (Section 191.762).
INSPECTIONS The bill requires the department to make an unannounced on-site inspection of any crisis pregnancy center at least annually. The inspection shall include compliance with all requirements that the facility maintain adequate staffing and equipment to respond to medical emergence and compliance that continuous physician services or registered professional nursing services be provided whenever a patient is in the facility (Sections 197.200 and 197.230).
TRAINING PROGRAMS By July 1, 2018, the bill requires all crisis pregnancy centers to provide training programs to all unlicensed staff providing patient care within 90 days of the beginning date of employment. A crisis pregnancy center must submit documentation to the department as a requirement for licensure (Section 197.287).
INTERFERENCE WITH MEDICAL ASSISTANCE A person commits the offense of interference with medical assistance if he or she, while working as an employee of a crisis pregnancy center knowingly: orders or requests medical personnel to deviate from any applicable standard of care or ordinary practice while providing medical assistance to a patient for reasons unrelated to the patient’s health or welfare; or attempts to prevent medical personnel from providing medical assistance to a patience in accordance with all applicable standards of care or ordinary practice for reasons unrelated to the patient’s health or welfare. This offense is a class A misdemeanor (Section 574.200).
This bill is similar to HB 374 (2017).
Well, if it’s good enough for other providers of women’s health services, it’s good enough for all of them.
HB 11 — ABORTION [pdf]
SPONSOR: Newman
This bill changes the laws regarding abortion.
72-HOUR WAITING PERIOD The bill repeals the current waiting period of 72 hours before a woman may obtain an abortion (Sections 1.027 and 1.03, RSMo). CLINICAL PRIVILEES Currently, physicians performing or inducing an abortion in Missouri must have clinical privileges at a hospital which offers obstetrical or gynecological care located within 30 miles of the location here the abortion is performed or induced. This bill repeals that requirement (Section 1.00).
AMBULATOR SURGICAL CENTER The bill removes any establishment operated for the purpose of performing or inducing any second or third trimester abortions or five or more first trimester abortions per month from the definition of an ambulatory surgical center and specifically excludes facilities that are operated primarily for the purpose of providing abortions (Section 17.200).
This bill is identical to HB 36 (2017) and HB 36 (2017).
Nope, the republicans won’t allow it.
HB 12 — SEX EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS [pdf]
SPONSOR: Newman
The bill requires any course materials and instruction relating to human sexuality and sexually transmitted infections to be based on peer-reviewed projects that have been demonstrated to influence healthy behavior, be age appropriate, and meet the following criteria: present abstinence from sexual activity as the only sure way to avoid pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections stress that sexually transmitted infections are serious and possible health hazards of sexual activity present students with information about the health benefits and side effects of all contraceptives provide information about the vaccine for human papilloma virus encourage family communication between parents and children about sexuality help young people gain knowledge about the changes of adolescence and the sills to make responsible decisions about sexuality teach sills of conflict management, personal responsibility, and positive self-esteem advise students of the laws pertaining to their financial responsibility to children born in and out of wedlock help students develop sills in critical thinking, decision making, and stress management teach students about the dangers of sexual predators and teach students the consequences of inappropriate text messaging. Each school district or charter school must make the names and affiliations of presenters used in the schools human sexuality instruction available. The bill repeals the provision that prohibits a school district or charter school from providing abortion services and an abortion provider from furnishing human sexuality instruction and curriculum.
Nope, the republicans won’t allow this either.
Representative Cora Faith Walker (D) [2017 file photo].
HB 13 — TAX CREDIT FOR CONTRACEPTION [pdf]
SPONSOR: Walker (74)
Beginning January 1, 2018, this bill allows a taxpayer to claim a tax credit up to $500 for the cost of contraception incurred during the year. Contraception includes any method or device used to prevent pregnancy that is approved by Food and Drug Administration and the taxpayer may be required to provide proof of the costs incurred. The ta credit is refundable, but shall not be sold, transferred, or assigned. The ta credits allowed under this section shall not exceed million in any fiscal year.
These provisions will sunset December 31, six years after the effective date.
Nope, the republicans won’t allow it.
Previously:
99th General Assembly, 2nd Extraordinary Session – HB 1, HB 2, HB 3, HB 6, HB 7, HB 9, HB 14 – interfering in reproductive choice (June 13, 2017)
