Bill to defund abortion providers heads to Missouri governor [Video]

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A Missouri bill aimed at barring Medicaid funding from going to abortion health care providers like Planned Parenthood has been sent to Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s desk.

State Rep. Cody Smith (R-Jasper County) said Missouri House Bill 2634 would prohibit taxpayer dollars, primarily in the Medicaid program, from going toward organizations that perform abortions and their affiliates, like Planned Parenthood, which is a national organization.

“We know that if we were subsidizing or doing business with Planned Parenthood as a state, we potentially could ultimately be subsidizing those abortion services outside of the state,” Smith said.

Smith said this is something the largely conservative legislature has been trying to address for years.

“I believe it was 2017, we added language into the House budget or to the Missouri state budget in the appropriations bills to try to prohibit this funding from going towards abortion providers …