A pro-life group is glad that Missouri is going to court to defend its defiance of a federal Health and Human Services mandate.
Pam Fichter of Missouri Right to Life explains that the Missouri Legislature barely overrode Gov. Jay Nixon's (D) veto of the legislation that protects people on the basis of their religious beliefs. The law says employers cannot be required to cover services or medicines that go against their religious or moral convictions.
"This is legislation that seeks to protect people and institutions of faith from being forced to provide insurance coverage for abortion … abortion-causing drugs … sterilizations or other procedures and devices against their deeply held religious beliefs," Fichter details.
Within hours following the override vote, the Greater Kansas City Coalition of Labor Union Women filed suit in Cole County Circuit Court to block it. There the court will decide whether state law can trump a requirement of the federal government.
"It's certainly going to create a lot of turmoil in the courts," the pro-lifer notes. "We're looking forward to the battle, and either way, this legislation sends a very strong message to Washington that Missouri citizens are not going to tolerate this kind of bullying and denial of our fundamental rights."
Other states have passed similar laws, but Fichter says Missouri's is probably the strongest in terms of protecting religious freedom and rights of conscience.