Even though a Missouri Senate bill to defund affiliates of abortion care providers has been stalled by a filibuster, the House on Monday gave final approval to a similar bill.
The House bill passed Monday would bar affiliates of abortion providers from being reimbursed through the state’s health care programs.
A ruling last month by the Missouri Supreme Court halted Republicans from defunding Planned Parenthood through the budgeting process. That provided the impetus to defund it through policy.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Cody Smith from Carthage, says if organizations that lose state funding under the bill stop providing services, the market will fill the gap.
The bill is going to the Senate where Democrats are already working to keep the legislation from passing.
