Reject Missouri's Abortion Felony and Fake Clinic Amendment!

I urge you to oppose SJR87 (Koenig) and HJR131 (Sparks), which propose to place a constitutional amendment on the Missouri ballot to strengthen the state’s current abortion ban by charging abortion providers with serious felonies and enshrining into the Missouri constitution that the General Assembly cannot add any further exceptions to the abortion ban, such as exceptions for cases of rape or incest. SJR87 and HJR131 also include a provision which would allow for tax credits for contributions made to “nonprofit pregnancy resource centers”. These nonprofit resource centers are the religiously affiliated crisis pregnancy centers, also known as CPCs or “fake” clinics. These fake clinics don’t provide abortion or offer a full range of health care, and they won’t give you honest facts about sexual health and your pregnancy options. Their goal is to spread misinformation and propaganda. Most are not legitimate medical clinics and don’t follow HIPAA and keep your information private, often giving it to anti-abortion organizations or using it to harass you. These resolutions are a political trick to place a measure on the ballot to compete against the initiative petition backed by abortion advocacy groups that is currently gathering signatures. They include deceptive “ballot candy” language, asking voters if the Missouri Constitution should be amended to “guarantee that abortion laws protect pregnant mothers from serious risk”, and “authorize support to pregnant mothers”. Statements that seem agreeable but hide the true nature of the proposed amendment. Abortion is healthcare and must be fully restored, not further restricted. Being denied an abortion has serious consequences. The largest study of the long term effects of being denied an abortion, the Turnaway Study, found that people forced to continue unintended pregnancies, and consequently their families, are likely to experience long-term economic insecurity and hardship. People denied abortions also face increased risk of future birthing complications and remaining in contact with abusive partners. I urge you to reject this partisan political trick and oppose SJR87 and HJR131.