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Without Nixon signature, Mo. abortion law passes

Republicans in the Missouri Senate want to make sure the governor doesn't create a health care exchange without their consent.
KBIA/file photo
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KBIA
Republicans in the Missouri Senate want to make sure the governor doesn't create a health care exchange without their consent.

Without his signature, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has allowed legislation that will require doctors to be in the room for the initial dose of a drug used in medication abortions.Nixon announced Friday he would not sign the bill that effectively prohibits the use of telemedicine to provide medication abortions in Missouri. Without the signature, the bill becomes law.

The Guttmacher Institute that supports abortion rights said 10 states require a prescribing doctor be present. Enforcement of the requirement has been temporarily blocked in North Dakota and Wisconsin because of litigation.

Planned Parenthood for the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri says it has not used telemedicine for medication abortions. But that option has been available since 2008 in Iowa.

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