Monitor: April 6, 2022

MoLeg Update: Politicians Continue to Attack Abortion, Birth Control and More

Last week, the Missouri House of Representatives passed House Bill 2012, “a kitchen-sink approach” to attacking Missourians’ reproductive freedom. With the U.S. Supreme Court set to gut or even entirely overturn Roe v. Wade this summer, politicians are using HB 2012 to shape a post-Roe future when all abortion is criminalized in Missouri.

House Bill 2012 awaits a final vote in the State House before it goes to the State Senate. Here’s what it does:

• Bans common medication used for abortion, miscarriages, and labor and delivery. Politicians falsely claim these medications are only banned for “illegal abortions.” The practical impact: Faced with the threats of criminal investigation and prison, manufacturers and distributors will be scared away from producing medications for providers and patients in Missouri. 
• Unlawfully blocks Medicaid patients from accessing essential preventive care — including birth control, cancer screenings, and STI testing and treatment — from their trusted providers at Planned Parenthood. (This is what “defunding” actually means — see more in the last section of this newsletter.)
• Stigmatizes abortion patients and the providers who care for them by spreading anti-abortion propaganda.

The bottom line for HB 2012: This is politicians dismantling Missourians’ access to reproductive health care and asserting control over Missourians’ bodies. Thank you to Representatives Keri Ingle, Peter Merideth, Sarah Unsicker, Wes Rogers, LaDonna Appelbaum, Patty Lewis, Trish Gunby, Emily Weber, and Barbara Phifer for speaking against this bill and fighting to protect reproductive freedom for all Missourians! 

This week, a Senate Committee will hold a hearing on several more anti-reproductive freedom bills, including several abortion bans. We are in the Capitol with allies and advocates, ready to show up for the rights of all Missourians to access the full range of sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion. Join our Rapid Response Team and we’ll alert you to take action with us, in person or online, to protect Missourians’ reproductive health and rights!

Illinois Update: House Passes Legislation to Protect Abortion Access

Last week, the Illinois House of Representatives passed several measures supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights. House Bill 1464 protects the licenses of Illinois health care providers if other states penalize them for providing abortion. Thank you to Southwest Illinois’ Representatives LaToya Greenwood, Jay Hoffman, and Katie Stuart for voting yes and protecting patients and providers who care for them!

The measures await a vote this week in the Illinois State Senate. You can follow along on our new Illinois Twitter account: @PPAdvocates_IL!

Shop PPSLRSWMO’s New Merch Market Online!

Flaunt your support for sexual and reproductive health and rights in style with gear from the new Merch Market by Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri!

When you shop the Merch Market, you are purchasing ethically-made items that directly support PPSLRSWMO’s eight health centers in Missouri and Illinois. All merchandise is made in the USA and union printed by an employee-owned cooperative, as well as union decorated.

Have You Sent Your Message to POTUS?

Amidst the Missouri Legislature and Gov. Parson’s ongoing efforts to “defund” Planned Parenthood, providers across 11 health centers in Missouri have promised to continue caring for Medicaid patients at no cost while they fight the state in court. We already know this is a violation of federal Medicaid law, which protects every patient’s right to choose their own health care provider.

That’s why we’re asking the Biden-Harris administration to take action now.

Call on the administration to enforce Medicaid law and protect patients who need access to birth control, STI testing and treatment, and cancer screenings.