JEFFERSON CITY - Restricting abortions and limiting sex education, that's what the Missouri House has done and now many are wondering what the Senate will do.
New legislation passed in the Missouri House puts stricter regulation on abortion clinics and on teaching sex education. Under the new law, school districts might have to change curriculum while some abortion clinics, in extreme cases, might have to close. In a vote of 101 to 48, members of the House of Represenatives approved a bill reducing abortion options, limiting sex education, and creating a program called the Missouri Alternatives to Abortion Services.
The act prohibits school districts and charter schools from advising about abortion services, or allowing people who provide those services from teaching about controceptive devices or sexually transmitted diseases in school.
"First of all everyone needs to understand the state of Missouri does not mandate the teaching of sex eduation, that's a falacy that's out there. What it does say that if school boards choose to teach sex education that certain curriculum requirements will apply. And all we did was add another option for school boards," said Rep. Therese Sanders of Moberly.
That option is abstience education only because the new bill also gives the state more control over-seeing clinics such as Planned Parenthood.
Michelle Trupiano lobbies for Planned Parenthood.
"The second part of the bill surrounds ... making sure that clinics, if they perform more than five abortions a month become an ambulatory sugical center, even though abortion is one of the safest, medical procedures, " Trupiano said.
The so-called alternatives to abortion plan in the house bill will provide some services and counseling to pregnant women. Critics in Jefferson City say increased regulation from the department of health could close abortion clinics in both kansas city and columbia, and while the bill has passed in the House of Representatives, it is still pending in the Senate.
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