Missouri Republicans are pushing to pass a controversial “born-alive” abortion bill before the state’s legislative session ends next week, setting up another major confrontation in the state’s long-running abortion debate.
The legislation, known as the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act”, would require medical providers to administer life-saving care to infants born alive following an attempted abortion. Under the bill, anyone who “knowingly performs or attempts to perform an overt act that kills a child born alive” could face first-degree murder charges.
The measure has become a top priority for Republican lawmakers in the state legislature, despite opposition from Democrats, abortion-rights advocates, and even some anti-abortion Republicans.
According to reporting by the Missouri Independent, the bill was modified in the Senate to remove provisions that would have expanded civil liability connected to medication abortions and so-called “self-induced abortions”.
Supporters argue the bill is intended to address rare cases where infants survive abortion procedures and say existing federal law does not go far enough.
State Rep. Brian Seitz, a Republican from Branson and sponsor of the House version, said: “This legislation is not an all or nothing bill. It deals with incrementalism, but it does in the main what we wanted it to do. It protects the infant after birth.”
Missouri’s abortion laws remain politically contentious following voter-approved constitutional protections for abortion access up to fetal viability.
Critics of the legislation argue the wording could create confusion for doctors handling complex pregnancies and fatal fetal diagnoses, potentially affecting decisions around palliative care and emergency treatment.
Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri, described the bill as “another drop in the bucket of the long-term strategy to ban and criminalize all abortion care”.
The bill also drew criticism from Republican state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, who voted against it after amendments were added.
“I think this is a bill that’s going to waste resources in the attorney general’s office and is going to distract from the pro-life work that needs to be done,” Coleman said during Senate debate.
The legislation now heads back to the Missouri House, where Republican leaders are expected to move quickly in hopes of sending it to the governor before the legislative session concludes.
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