Legislative Update: 2.23.25

Reproductive Rights Bill #: SJR 33 LWVMO OPPOSES this bill Short Description: Prohibits abortion except in cases of medical emergency, fetal anomaly, rape or incest; in cases of rape or incest the abortion must be performed or induced before 12 weeks gestational age and only if the rape or incest has been reported to law enforcement. Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a Hearing on Wednesday, February 26 at 8:00 AM in the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee. Link to the summary of the bill: SJR 33 Call to action: Only in person testimony is allowed for Senate hearings. Contact members of the Senate Families, Senior and Health Committee HERE and tell them you OPPOSE this bill. Bill #: SJR 8 LWVMO OPPOSES this bill Short Description: Modifies the equal protection provision of the Missouri Constitution to define "person" as every human being with a unique DNA code regardless of age, including an unborn child; nothing in the Constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or the funding of an abortion. Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a Hearing on Wednesday, February 26 at 8:00 AM in the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee. Link to the summary of the bill: SJR 8 Call to action: Only in person testimony is allowed for Senate hearings. Contact members of the Senate Families, Senior and Health Committee HERE and tell them you OPPOSE this bill. Education Bill #: HB 875 LWVMO OPPOSES this bill Short Description: Prohibits public institutions of higher learning from discriminating against religious, political, or ideological associations. Status of the Bill: Placed on the House Formal Perfection Calendar for Monday, February 24. Link to the summary of the bill: HB 875 Call to action: Contact your Representative HERE and tell them you OPPOSE this bill. Scroll down to “Find Your Representative”. Links to further reading: MO NAACP Legislative Update 1/27/25; MO NEW Legislative Update 1/31/25; PROMO: Take Action Health Care Bill #: HB 398 LWVMO SUPPORTS this bill Short Description: Allows for expedited partner therapy for STDs, improved prenatal testing for communicable diseases, reimburses healthcare providers for dispensing self-administering hormonal contraceptives, and repeals requirement to patient notification of completion of a mammogram. Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a Hearing on Tuesday, February 25 at 12:00 PM in the House Health and Mental Health Committee. Link to the summary of the bill: HB 398 Call to action: Submit testimony in SUPPORT of this bill HERE. Social Justice Bill #: SS/SB 40 LWVMO SUPPORTS this bill Short Description: Creates the "Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force". Status of the Bill: Placed on the Senate Formal Perfection Calendar for Monday, February 24. Link to the summary of the bill: SS/SB 40 Call to action: Contact your Senator using the Legislator Lookup site HERE and tell them you SUPPORT this bill. Links to further reading: First Alert 4 article: Creating Task Force for Missing Black Women