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Mo. House passes wide-ranging abortion bill

By Marshall Griffin, St. Louis Public Radio

Jefferson City, Mo. – The Missouri House has passed a wide-ranging bill that would create new requirements surrounding abortions.

Those requirements would include notifying prosecutors anytime a girl younger than 18 seeks an abortion, whether she goes through with it or not.

State Representative Brian Nieves (R, Union) says it would reduce the number of abortions performed in Missouri.

"And, hopefully, (bring) to justice the sick, disgusting people that would actually rape an underage child," Nieves said from the House floor.

The bill would also expand the information that women must be given 24 hours before an abortion is performed, and it would make it a crime to coerce a woman into having an abortion.

Opponents, including State Representative Jill Schupp (D, Creve Coeur), accused Republicans of playing politics.

"Let's call this what it is, an attempt once again to divide instead of unite us, an attempt once again not to find good ways to reduce unwanted pregnancies through education (or) through preventative therapies," Schupp said.

The bill now goes to the Missouri Senate, where similar legislation is being blocked by Democrats.

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