Bill > SB951

This bill proposes significant changes to Missouri law regarding the legal status of unborn children, with the primary goal of abolishing abortion in the state. The bill, known as the "Equal Protection Act," defines a person as including an unborn child from the moment of fertilization until birth, effectively granting legal protections to fetuses at all stages of development. It aims to treat unborn children the same as born persons under criminal and civil laws, repealing provisions that currently permit prenatal homicide or assault. The bill modifies several existing statutes to expand prosecution options for offenses involving unborn victims, including allowing prosecution in multiple counties where elements of an offense occurred. It also introduces new provisions that limit defenses like duress in cases involving unborn children, with an exception for a mother's actions. The bill includes a specific medical exception that allows medical procedures to save a pregnant woman's life, provided all reasonable alternatives to save the unborn child have been exhausted. Notably, the bill is set to be submitted to voters in a referendum election in August 2026 and would only apply to offenses committed after its potential approval, meaning it would not be retroactive. The underlying intent is to protect what the bill describes as "innocent human life, created in the image of God" and to ensure equal protection under the law for unborn children.

Labor and Employment

https://www.senate.mo.gov/26info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=382