Nodler: Eight Years of Protecting Life in Missouri

n overwhelming majority of Missourians consistently and resoundingly place the gift of life above all other matters. Around family dinner tables, at lunch counters and at the polls, the view that life is bestowed by the Almighty and not a “choice” to be considered has been clearly expressed for generations. Protecting the lives of the unborn has been an ongoing effort for me throughout the time I have served in the Missouri Senate, and the work that was accomplished during my eight years as a state senator has reduced the number of abortions being performed in this state.

More than 30 years after the Roe v. Wade decision that effectively legalized abortion in the U.S., legislative and educational efforts are decreasing the number of abortions in our state. One of our main ways of accomplishing this is making sure that women who are making this decision are educated. In 2003, our work began by passing legislation [HB156] that requires a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion can be performed to provide an opportunity to consider the gravity of the decision to abort a child. This year, we expanded on this law by requiring that a woman receives additional information including details on the emotional and physical risks of the procedure, information on the gestational age of her unborn child at the time the abortion is to be performed, and the opportunity to view, at least 24 hours prior to an abortion, an active ultrasound and hear the heartbeat of the unborn child. [SB793]

In 2005, we passed an important pro-life measure [SB1] during a special session. The law protects the safety of young women and the lives of the unborn by permitting lawsuits to be filed against people who help minors cross state lines to receive abortions. The measure is designed to support Missouri’s law requiring anyone under age 18 to have parental consent before receiving an abortion.

We again worked to protect life in 2007 when we passed legislation [HB1055] that prohibits abortion-providing or abortion referral organizations from conducting sex education courses in public schools. These entities bring an obvious and largely unaccepted bias into the classroom that simply isn’t helpful to building the futures of our schoolchildren. The bill also established the Missouri Alternatives to Abortion Services Program, which provides services and counseling to pregnant women as well as assistance to new mothers caring for their children or placing children up for adoption. The program also has an awareness component in which state agencies publicize alternatives to abortion.

Since 2003, we have worked to tighten restrictions on abortions performed in this state, educate women on the true nature of an abortion, and make sure that women are provided with easily accessible alternatives to abortion. I am proud of the work that was accomplished to save lives in this state.