Oppose Misguided "Pro-Life" Deductions for the Wealthy

I urge you to oppose SS SB1032 (Moon). While this bill is cloaked in the language of supporting families, it represents a deeply flawed approach that aligns with a narrow political agenda rather than the real needs of Missourians. This legislation fails to provide meaningful support to those who need it most and instead advances policies that ignore complex social realities. This bill is a clear extension of a so-called "pro-life" agenda that prioritizes birth over genuine support for children and families. The same lawmakers pushing this legislation consistently vote against funding for public schools, affordable childcare, healthcare access, and paid family leave. If the goal were truly to support children and families, we would see robust investment in the systems that ensure every child can thrive. Instead, we get a tax deduction that primarily benefits higher-income households while doing nothing for low-income families who need help the most. The provision offering a tax deduction for families who adopt is particularly troubling. Adoption is not a simple transaction. It stems from loss and trauma. For every adopted child, there is a story of birth family separation, often involving systemic pressures, lack of resources, or crisis. Our tax code should not be in the business of incentivizing adoption as if it were a consumer choice. We should instead be investing in services that help keep families together, such as affordable housing, mental healthcare, and substance abuse treatment. The focus should be on preventing the circumstances that lead to family separation in the first place. This deduction does not exist in a vacuum. It flows directly from the broader ecosystem of adoption advocacy organizations that lobby for policies making adoption more financially appealing. These organizations benefit when adoption is treated as a market, yet they rarely confront the systemic failures that separate families. By framing adoption as a purely positive outcome worthy of tax incentives, this bill obscures the trauma involved and the lack of support for biological families trying to stay together. This legislation also creates an unfair and complex system. The new deduction is layered on top of existing exemptions, but a taxpayer cannot claim both for the same child. This complexity does not help families. It creates confusion while delivering a tax break that is inaccessible to low-income households who owe little or no state income tax. A refundable tax credit would be a fairer, simpler way to support all families, but this bill is not designed for fairness. We must reject this narrow approach. True support for children means investing in public education, healthcare, housing, and family preservation services. I urge you to vote no on SB 1032.