Press "Enter" to skip to content

Missouri Right to Life rally troops behind summons

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Right to Life (MRL), the largest and oldest grassroots group in the state, is encouraging members to contact legislative leadership and members in support of pro-life causes.

The group’s immediate legislative mission is threefold, first asking their members to thank Senate members for “their work investigating Planned Parenthood and the Pathology Lab.” The Senate created the Sanctity of Life Committee last year after the emergence of videos, which cast outrage on Planned Parenthood, in order to investigate in-state clinic practices.

Second, the MRL is asking for members to ask the senate to pass resolutions “to affirm the right of the senate to seek information regarding the disposal of baby body parts,” specifically SR 1793 and SR 1794, which issue summons to Mary Kogut of Planned Parenthood and Dr. James Miller of Pathology Services, respectively, sponsored by Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia. The resolutions come after Kogut and Miller did not appear before the Sanctity of Life Committee in December.

Pro-choice supporters visited the Capitol Tuesday lobbying against the resolutions and delivering signatures to Schaefer’s office of others in opposition. Schaefer’s campaign called many of their points dishonest and Schaefer responded, hoping to clarify misperceptions about the intention of the resolutions.

Third and last, the MRL wants members to, “most importantly, make it clear that pro-lifers want legislation for annual abortion clinic inspections and accountability to ensure that baby body parts from abortions are not being sold for research.”

MRL is supporting SB 644, sponsored Sen. Bob Onder, R-O’Fallon, which modifies laws regarding abortion, fetal tissue donation, tissue reports, physician privileges, and ambulatory surgical center licensing and inspections. They are also supporting HB 2069 and 2371, sponsored by Rep. Diane Franklin, R-Camdenton, which also addresses provisions regarding abortion. The combined bills were perfected in the House on Tuesday.