By Marshall Griffin, St. Louis Public Radio
Jefferson City, Mo. – The Missouri House has passed legislation expanding the information a woman must receive before undergoing an abortion.
State law already requires that women be told 24 hours in advance of the physical and psychological risks of abortions. This bill requires consultations be done in person and that women be given the option of viewing an ultrasound and listening to a heartbeat.
Rob Mayer (R, Dexter) sponsored the bill in the Missouri Senate. He hopes that Democratic Governor Jay Nixon will not veto it.
"Most definitely I would come forward with the effort, along with my colleagues here in the Senate, to override any veto the governor would execute on this bill," Mayer said.
This is the first abortion bill Nixon has received during his time as governor, and his decision could turn into a political test.
Meanwhile, the group Planned Parenthood calls the new requirements burdensome and says they intrude on the doctor-patient relationship.