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Missouri Senate Approves Telemedicine Abortion Ban
By a vote of 23-7, the Missouri Senate approved a house bill this week that would effectively ban telemedicine abortions being performed in Missouri.
HB 400, sponsored by Representative Jeanie Riddle (R-Mokane), requires any physician ordering an abortion to be physically present when the patient is given medication to terminate a pregnancy. This requirement would prevent abortion providers from establishing clinics to perform chemical abortions via video conferencing technology.
A number of states surrounding Missouri, most notably Iowa, have set up such clinics. HB 400 now returns to the House, which is expected to pass the bill next week.
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General Assembly Passes Repeal of Tax Credit for Low-Income Seniors/Disabled
This week the Missouri General Assembly passed and sent to Governor Jay Nixon legislation that would repeal the renters' portion of the Circuit Breaker Tax Credit. Over 104,000 seniors on fixed incomes and people with disabilities from all corners of Missouri rely on the credit to help them with basic necessities, such as paying for medications and catching up on bill payments. Currently this credit is available to renters who are elderly (65 or older) or disabled and who have household incomes of $27,500 or less if single, or $29,500 or less if married. The average credit received is $534 annually. The MCC had urged legislators in a floor letter to defeat SB 350. People who work with the poor (such as Catholic Charities agencies and the Jefferson City Samaritan Center) know how important the low-income renters' credit is. They have many stories of people coming for help who are grateful for the assistance offered by this credit. Final approval of SB 350 came in a vote by the Missouri House of Representatives.
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Choosing Between Low-Income Seniors and
Children with Disabilities
The debate over SB 350 got tangled up in final approval of the FY 2014 state budget. The proposed budget sent to Governor Nixon this week by the general assembly proposes to fund various programs, such as First Steps that assist children with disabilities, out of the money saved by repealing the low-income renters' credit. For more on this story, read an article by AP reporter David Lieb.
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MCC Calls for Veto of SB 350
The Missouri Catholic Conference is urging Governor Nixon to veto SB 350, the bill that repeals the low-income credit for seniors and people with disabilities. All MCC Network members are asked to contact Governor Nixon to urge a veto of SB 350. To learn more and get the governor's contact information, check out the MCC action alert.
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Making a "Bad" Bill "Better"
As originally introduced, the MCC opposed HB 343, a public assistance bill that would put certain onerous requirements on recipients to get benefits. As the bill moved through the process some of the MCC's concerns were addressed and certain requirements were removed, while others remained or were modified. Sponsored by Representative Casey Guernsey (R-Bethany), HB 343 has passed the House and was heard this week by the Senate Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee. During the hearing Senator Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis) offered an amendment that would allow eligible ex-drug offenders to receive food stamps as is currently allowed for all other ex-offendors. The MCC has long supported lifting the food stamp ban for these individuals as it is discriminatory and deprives economic dollars from coming into our state. The committee accepted the amendment and voted HB 343 "Do Pass". With a week remaining in the session, HB 343 may still not make it to the governor's desk, but at least now the bill contains something positive from the MCC's perspective. |
Juvenile Bill Inches Closer to Final Passage
This week the House passed SB 36, a bill that would extend the age to 17 ½ years old that a juvenile could remain under of the Division of Youth Services (DYS). Sponsored by Senator Wayne Wallingford (R-Cape Girardeau), this bill added six months eligibility that the court could consider imposing a juvenile sentence.
Also known as Jonathon's Law, this bill was filed in response to a 17 year old from southeast Missouri who committed suicide after being sentenced to an adult institution. The MCC supported the bill because the U.S. bishops have urged that youthful offenders should be treated differently than adult offenders. Missouri's DYS is recognized as a national leader for its successful juvenile justice program in rehabilitating young offenders.
The bill is now being sent to a House-Senate conference committee to iron out some minor differences in the bill.
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Three More States to Offer
"Same-Sex" Marriage Licenses
Rhode Island and Delaware are the 10th and 11th states to join those offering marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Minnesota is expected to become the 12th next week.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has called for a second Fortnight for Freedom this summer leading up to the Fourth of July. The Fortnight is intended to encourage Catholics to pray and fast to defend religious liberty, rights of conscience and traditional marriage. For more information about the upcoming Fortnight, click here.
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Pro-Life Secretariat at USCCB Decries FDA
Decision on Plan B
The Office of the Pro-life Secretariat at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a statement on the FDA's recent decision to require the emergency contraceptive Plan B be available over the counter for girls as young as 15.
The statement argues that widespread use of emergency contraceptives do not reduce abortion rates, but rather increase the risk of STD's and put young women at risk of being manipulated.
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