Missouri lawmakers overruled Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto and passed legislation requiring women to wait three days before obtaining abortions.
The vote by the Republican-controlled Legislature ups Missouri’s present waiting period of 24 hours to 72 hours, CBS News reported.
Mr. Nixon, a Democrat, had denounced the bill as “extreme and disrespectful” to women because it didn’t include exceptions for victims of rape or incest, CBS News reported.
The state now has the second toughest abortion law in the nation. South Dakota is the most stringent, because the 72-hour waiting period in effect there does not count weekends and holidays — meaning the actual wait can be longer than three days.
Missouri Republicans hailed their veto vote as a decided success.
“[If] you get a couple of more days to think about this pregnancy, think about where it’s going, you may change your mind” and not abort, said Republican Rep. Kathie Conway, explaining her support for the law, CBS News reported.
But some on the other side of the political aisle saw differently.
“It’s designed to demean and shame a woman in an effort to change her mind,” said Rep. Judy Morgan, a Democrat.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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