Missouri backs pro-life issues

By Phil Cobb | July 29, 2015 |

Allen Andrews

Being a pro-life legislator, I have been deeply disturbed by the actions of taxpayer-funded entities such as Planned Parenthood and their advocacy for abortion.

However, you should know the citizens of Missouri have voted in a strong majority of pro-life representatives and senators to stand strong for the unborn and we will continue to do so.

During our 2015 Legislative Session, we enacted pro-life legislation that solidified state-financed support for Missouri’s maternity homes and pregnancy resource centers and for the alternatives to abortion program.

Because of these legislative efforts, Missouri now leads the nation in pro-life activity as we continue to protect the unborn — making 2015 a very successful year for pro-life legislation.

Here are a few highlights of our legislative accomplishments during the past session:

• Lawmakers approved full funding ($2.16 million) for the Missouri Alternatives to Abortion Program in the upcoming budget year that began July 1. These funds support the work of Missouri’s maternity homes and pregnancy resource centers.

• House/Senate budget negotiators supported almost $14 million in funding for Show-Me-Healthy Babies, a new program to ensure that low-income unborn children will receive adequate health care through the state Children’s Health Insurance Program.

These pro-life funding measures are very important because Missouri’s maternity homes and pregnancy resource centers are on the front lines saving the lives of unborn children and helping pregnant moms at risk for abortion.

Furthermore, we defeated a plethora of anti-life bills such as:

• A measure to obstruct the free speech of pro-life pregnancy resource centers and staff, and to impose on them fines, penalties and injunctions.

• Proposals to force pharmacies and Catholic hospitals to violate their religious and moral beliefs by requiring that they provide abortion-inducing drugs and contraceptives on demand.

In the past five years, abortion rates have continued to decline.

Meanwhile, the number of Missouri maternity homes and pregnancy resource centers continues to increase. Today, Missouri is home to 19 maternity homes — up 46 percent from 2010 — and 64 pregnancy resource centers, a 23 percent increase in five years.

Northwest Missouri is blessed to have The Source, a non-profit crisis pregnancy center, located in Maryville.

Executive Director Gwen Knowles and staff are wonderful people who have a passion for life as they provide resources and high quality care in an unbiased, professional and helpful way.

If you or someone you know needs assistance, please reach out to Gwen at 660.215.3024 or visit their website at www.thesourcemedical.org.