Mo. tightens abortion clinic regulations

Missouri abortion providers will face new regulations for their clinics and new restrictions on teaching sex education classes under a bill Gov. Matt Blunt signed into law Friday.

The measure places more abortion clinics under government oversight by classifying them as ambulatory surgical centers. Planned Parenthood has said the law could force it to spend up to $2 million to remodel one of its clinics and halt medical abortions at another site.

The law also bars people affiliated with abortion providers from teaching or supplying materials for public school sex education courses, and it allows schools to offer abstinence-only programs.

Blunt proclaimed the law "one of the strongest pieces of pro-life legislation in Missouri history" as he spoke from a cross-shaped lectern during a signing ceremony in the sanctuary of Concord Baptist Church.

The Republican governor said he has no qualms if the stricter state oversight causes hardships for abortion clinics.

"I say if they can't meet the same basic requirements that other (medical) providers do, then they should shut down," Blunt said.

Missouri Right to Life, which backed the measure, argued that groups like Planned Parenthood have a conflict of interest in supplying sex education materials because they could make money if female students go to their clinics. Blunt echoed that concern, saying sales of material to public schools were a "significant source of revenue" for the group.

Planned Parenthood said it provides sex education materials to schools for free and its staff members who teach sexual health and education lessons in 41 Missouri schools are trained not to discuss abortions. An official with Planned Parenthood, which has several staffers who visit public schools, called the profiteering assertion "political propaganda."

"Essentially, what Governor Blunt and the Legislature is doing is saying that teens need to be protected from information, not from sexually transmitted infections or unintended pregnancies," said Peter Brownlie, chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri.

The state already licenses facilities that get at least half of their revenue or patients from abortions. Only one, a Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis, falls under that licensing requirement.

The Department of Health and Senior Services said the new law would require three other clinics to be licensed. The department didn't identify them, but Planned Parenthood said its offices in Columbia and Kansas City would be affected.

The organization is considering a legal challenge.

source : news.yahoo.com