JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri's Republican-controlled Legislature gave final approval Wednesday to legislation requiring a woman to wait three days after first seeing a doctor before having an abortion. Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon has not said whether he will sign or veto it.
The measure would triple Missouri's current 24-hour waiting period and put the state in line with Utah and South Dakota as the only states to mandate a 72-hour time frame. Missouri currently has only one clinic performing elective abortions.
The House voted 111-39 in favor of the measure Wednesday, sending it to Nixon, who has previously allowed other abortion restrictions to become law without his signature. That included a measure last year that requires doctors to be in the room for the initial dose of a drug used in medical abortions.
Nixon said Tuesday that he would review the extended waiting period and act in a manner consistent with his other actions on abortion legislation.
Senators passed the waiting period measure earlier this week after Democrats agreed to stop filibustering the bill in exchange for Republicans dropping other measures the Democrats opposed, related to union fees and photo identification requirements for elections.
Under both current law and the new legislation, Missouri's abortion waiting period doesn't apply in instances deemed by a doctor to be a medical emergency. But women do have to wait in cases of rape and incest.
Supporters argue that women need more time to digest information received by a doctor. In addition to the waiting period, Missouri's current abortion law requires doctors to provide women with a variety of written information about the procedure, and they must be given the opportunity to hear the fetus' heartbeat on an ultrasound.
"Life is precious. I want to make sure the unborn child has a chance to survive," Sen. David Sater, a Republican pharmacist from rural southwest Missouri, said during debate on the legislation he sponsored.
Opponents said the longer waiting period would push woman further into pregnancy before an abortion, which can increase risk. They argued it would also make women pay for expensive hotel visits or drive multiple times to a clinic. A Planned Parenthood in St. Louis is the only facility in Missouri that currently performs elective abortions.
"The idea that a woman would not have taken this time already is insulting," said Rep. Genise Montecillo, a St. Louis Democrat.
About 25 abortion-rights advocates gathered at the state Capitol on Monday and stayed throughout the night into Wednesday as part of what they described as a 72-hour "citizen filibuster" against the bill. Speakers took turns talking about the negative impacts of the 72-hour waiting period from a lectern on the Capitol steps. They plan to continue until Thursday afternoon.
"I think the 72 hours is way too long," St. Louis resident Madi Mauck said while taking a break from speaking at the lectern. "Making them wait longer is an emotional and financial burden."
Republican supporters of the measure said the longer waiting period could help reduce abortions and that lawmakers had a moral obligation to pass the bill.
"The objectors stood and focused on the rights of the mother," Rep. Kevin Elmer, a southwest Missouri Republican, said before Wednesday's final House vote. "I stand here for the rights of the unborn."
Democrats argued the longer waiting period would just force women to go to abortion facilities in neighboring states, citing a clinic in Overland Park, Kansas, and a location in Belleville, Illinois.
State figures show there were about 9,000 abortions performed on Missouri residents in 2012 and that the number of abortions for Missourians has declined each year since 2008.
While Missouri's bill is similar to those Utah and South Dakota law, there are some key differences.
Under South Dakota's law, weekends and holidays don't count toward the 72-hour period. Utah's waiting period does not apply when a woman becomes pregnant because of rape or incest, or when she is younger than 14.
A clause in Missouri's bill if a court finds the three-day time frame unconstitutional would seek to immediately revert to the 24-hour period.
Missouri House roll call on abortion waiting bill
By The Associated Press
The 111-39 roll call vote Wednesday by which the Missouri House gave final approval to legislation requiring a woman to wait 72 hours after seeing a physician before having an abortion.
Voting "yes" were 102 Republicans and nine Democrats.
Voting "no" were one Republican and 38 Democrats.
Not voting were five Republicans and four Democrats.
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
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
Lyndall Fraker, Marshfield
Diane Franklin, Camdenton
Keith Frederick, Rolla
Elaine Gannon, De Soto
Chuck Gatschenberger, Lake St. Louis
Don Gosen, Chesterfield
Casey Guernsey, Bethany
Elijah Haahr, Springfield
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, Columbia
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
Mike Moon, Ash Grove
Lynn Morris, Nixa
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
David Wood, Versailles
Anne Zerr, St. Charles
Tim Jones, Eureka
DEMOCRATS VOTING YES
Linda Black, Desloge
Pat Conway, St. Joseph
Keith English, Florissant
Ben Harris, Hillsboro
John Mayfield, Independence
TJ McKenna, Festus
Jeff Roorda, Barnhart
Joe Runions, Grandview
Ed Schieffer, Troy
REPUBLICANS VOTING NO
Chris Molendorp, Belton
DEMOCRATS VOTING NO
Ira Anders, Independence
Bob Burns, St. Louis
Michael Butler, St. Louis
Jon Carpenter, Kansas City
Mike Colona, St. Louis
Courtney Curtis, Berkeley
Randy Dunn, Kansas 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
Jill Schupp, Creve Coeur
Clem Smith, Velda Village Hills
Jay Swearingen, Kansas City
Rochelle Walton Gray, Black Jack
Stephen Webber, Columbia
John Wright, Rocheport
REPUBLICANS NOT VOTING
Stanley Cox, Sedalia
Doug Funderburk, St. Peters
Jeff Grisamore, Lee's Summit
Marsha Haefner, St. Louis
Dave Muntzel, Boonville
DEMOCRATS NOT VOTING
Steve Hodges, East Prairie
Michele Kratky, St. Louis
Stacey Newman, St. Louis
Josh Peters, St. Louis