Mo. House passes health care conscience measure

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Health care workers could refuse to participate in procedures or research that violates their religious, moral or ethical principles under a measure passed by the Missouri House.

The House sent the measure to the Senate Tuesday with a 116-41 vote.

Workers seeking to invoke the so-called conscience protection would have to provide reasonable notice.

The measure would also bar discrimination against all medical personnel for opting out of certain procedures or research. It would apply to abortions, sterilizations, embryonic stem-cell research, assisted reproduction and contraception. Hospitals, clinics and medical or nursing schools also could refuse to perform procedures that violate the institution's conscience.

Some Democrats who voted against the bill said it could negatively impact patient safety.

House members approved similar legislation last year.

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Health care conscience is HB457

Online:

Legislature: http://www.moga.mo.gov

By The Associated Press

The 116-41 roll call by which the Missouri House voted Tuesday to pass legislation allowing health workers to refuse to participate in procedures that violate their religious, moral or ethical principles.

Voting "yes" were 105 Republicans and 11 Democrats.

Voting "no" was 1 Republican and 40 Democrats.

Not voting were 3 Republicans and 1 Democrat.

REPUBLICANS VOTING YES

Sue Allen, Town and Country.

Sonya Anderson, Springfield.

Kevin Austin, Springfield.

Kurt Bahr, O'Fallon.

Jay Barnes, Jefferson City.

Mike Bernskoetter, Jefferson City.

T.J. Berry, Kearney.

Rick Brattin, Harrisonville.

Wanda Brown, Lincoln.

Eric Burlison, Springfield.

Mike Cierpiot, Lee's Summit.

Kathie Conway, St. Charles.

Steve Cookson, Poplar Bluff.

Robert Cornejo, St. Peters.

Stanley Cox, Sedalia.

Sandy Crawford, Buffalo.

Gary Cross, Lee's Summit.

Paul Curtman, Pacific.

Charlie Davis, Webb City.

John Diehl, Town and Country.

Dean Dohrman, La Monte.

Tony Dugger, Hartville.

Kevin Elmer, Nixa.

Kevin Engler, Farmington.

Sue Entlicher, Bolivar.

Scott Fitzpatrick, Shell Knob.

Paul Fitzwater, Potosi.

Tom Flanigan, Carthage.

Dennis Fowler, Advance.

Lyndall Fraker, Marshfield.

Diane Franklin, Camdenton.

Keith Frederick, Rolla.

Doug Funderburk, St. Peters.

Elaine Gannon, De Soto.

Chuck Gatschenberger, Lake St. Louis.

Don Gosen, Chesterfield.

Casey Guernsey, Bethany.

Elijah Haahr, Springfield.

Marsha Haefner, St. Louis.

Kent Hampton, Malden.

Jim Hansen, Frankford.

Ron Hicks, St. Peters.

Galen Higdon, St. Joseph.

Dave Hinson, St. Clair.

Denny Hoskins, Warrensburg.

Lincoln Hough, Springfield.

Jay Houghton, Martinsburg.

Thomas Hurst, Meta.

Delus Johnson, St. Joseph.

Caleb Jones, California.

Jeffery Justus, Branson.

Shelley Keeney, Marble Hill.

Mike Kelley, Lamar.

Andrew Koenig, Manchester.

Glen Kolkmeyer, Wellington.

Bart Korman, High Hill.

Mike Lair, Chillicothe.

Bill Lant, Joplin.

Jeanie Lauer, Blue Springs.

Mike Leara, St. Louis.

Donna Lichtenegger, Jackson.

Warren Love, Osceola.

Steve Lynch, Waynesville.

Nick Marshall, Parkville.

John McCaherty, High Ridge.

Joe Don McGaugh, Carrollton.

Jeffrey Messenger, Republic.

Rocky Miller, Tuscumbia.

Lynn Morris, Nixa.

Dave Muntzel, Boonville.

Jim Neely, Cameron.

Myron Neth, Liberty.

Mark Parkinson, St. Charles.

Donna Pfautsch, Harrisonville.

Don Phillips, Kimberling City.

Randy Pike, Adrian.

Jeff Pogue, Salem.

Craig Redmon, Canton.

Holly Rehder, Sikeston.

Bill Rieboldt, Neosho.

Tim Remole, Excello.

Shawn Rhoads, West Plains.

Todd Richardson, Poplar Bluff.

Jeanie Riddle, Mokane.

Robert Ross, Yukon.

Caleb Rowden, Columbia.

Lyle Rowland, Cedarcreek.

Dwight Scharnhorst, St. Louis.

Dave Schatz, Sullivan.

Ron Schieber, Kansas City.

Noel Shull, Kansas City.

Lindell Shumake, Hannibal.

Sheila Solon, Blue Springs.

Chrissy Sommer, St. Charles.

Bryan Spencer, Wentzville.

Rick Stream, Kirkwood.

Kathy Swan, Cape Girardeau.

Mike Thomson, Maryville.

Noel Torpey, Independence.

Nathan Walker, Kirksville.

Bill White, Joplin.

Paul Wieland, Imperial.

Kenneth Wilson, Smithville.

Anne Zerr, St. Charles.

Tim Jones, Eureka.

DEMOCRATS VOTING YES

Ira Anders, Independence.

Linda Black, Desloge.

Pat Conway, St. Joseph.

Keith English, Florissant.

Ben Harris, Hillsboro.

Steve Hodges, East Prairie.

Michele Kratky, St. Louis.

John Mayfield, Independence.

TJ McKenna, Festus.

Jeff Roorda, Barnhart.

Ed Schieffer, Troy.

REPUBLICANS VOTING NO

Chris Molendorp, Belton.

DEMOCRATS VOTING NO

Bob Burns, St. Louis.

Michael Butler, St. Louis.

Jon Carpenter, Kansas City.

Mike Colona, St. Louis.

Courtney Curtis, Berkeley.

Randy Dunn, Kansas City.

Rory Ellinger, University City.

Brandon Ellington, Kansas City.

Vicki Englund, St. Louis.

Michael Frame, Eureka.

Kimberly Gardner, St. Louis.

Penny Hubbard, St. Louis.

Jacob Hummel, St. Louis.

Chris Kelly, Columbia.

Jeanne Kirkton, Webster Groves.

Jeremy LaFaver, Kansas City.

Karla May, St. Louis.

Gail McCann Beatty, Kansas City.

Tom McDonald, Independence.

Kevin McManus, Kansas City.

Margo McNeil, Florissant.

Sue Meredith, St. Louis.

Bonnaye Mims, Kansas City.

Gina Mitten, St. Louis.

Genise Montecillo, St. Louis.

Judy Morgan, Kansas City.

Mary Nichols, Maryland Heights.

Charlie Norr, Springfield.

Bill Otto, St. Charles.

Sharon Pace, Northwoods.

Tommie Pierson, St. Louis.

John Rizzo, Kansas City.

Joe Runions, Grandview.

Jill Schupp, Creve Coeur.

Clem Smith, Velda Village Hills.

Jay Swearingen, Kansas City.

Rochelle Walton Gray, Black Jack.

Steve Webb, Florissant.

Stephen Webber, Columbia.

John Wright, Rocheport.

REPUBLICANS NOT VOTING

Jeff Grisamore, Lee's Summit.

Jason Smith, Salem.

David Wood, Versailles.

DEMOCRATS NOT VOTING

Stacey Newman, St. Louis.