SB 775 - This act establishes the "Abolition of Abortion in Missouri Act." This act ensures that it is the intent of the General Assembly to acknowledge the sanctity of innocent human life and the unborn child at every stage of development has all the rights, privileges, and immunities available to other persons, citizens, and residents of this state pursuant to the Missouri Constitution.
This act also provides that any person accused of committing any criminal offense against a person under the laws of this state where the victim is an unborn child shall be prosecuted in a venue as provided in the act.
The affirmative defense of duress for the offense of murder shall be available where the victim is an unborn child and the defendant is the child's mother. This act also provides it shall be a justifiable defense if a medical procedure is performed by a licensed physician on a pregnant female to avert the death of the female which the results in the accidental or unintentional death of the unborn child and all reasonable alternatives to save the life of the unborn child were unavailable or were unsuccessful.
Finally, this act adds the definition of person in the criminal code to include a human being, including an unborn child at every stage of development from the moment of fertilization until birth.
This act contains a referendum clause.
This act is identical to SB 356 (2023).
MARY GRACE PRINGLE