香港三级片

The Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee voted 4-2 to pass the proposed constitutional amendment, sending it closer to debate before the full Senate. It had already cleared the House.

The abortion issue has dominated recently in the Legislature as conservative Republicans look to respond to last year鈥檚 Amendment 3, which overturned Missouri鈥檚 near-total abortion ban and created the right to abortion up to fetal viability.

The Republican-backed response under consideration would allow abortions in medical emergencies and when there is a fetal anomaly, as well as in cases of rape and incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.

鈥淭his is pro-life legislation that can and will pass muster with the Missouri voter because it allows for the exceptions that they may have voted for prior,鈥� said Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson, the House bill handler. 鈥淎mendment 3 simply went too far and harms women.鈥�

If it is debated on the floor, Democrats, who control 10 of 34 seats in the state Senate, are expected to block a vote at least initially on the legislation in pursuit of concessions. If no changes are made, it would head directly to voters upon Senate approval.

One sticking point is the proposed 12-week time limit for abortion in cases of rape, with both Democrats and House Speaker Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee鈥檚 Summit, raising concern. Patterson has said he hoped the Senate would debate whether 12 weeks is enough time.

鈥淲hen we talk about sexual violence, it鈥檚 clear that it鈥檚 very difficult for victims to come forward,鈥� said Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City.

The Senate committee hearing Wednesday lasted about two hours. Proponents were allowed to testify first, with time running out before all opponents could speak on the bill.

At one point, the Rev. Molly Housh Gordon of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia, who opposed the amendment, said, 鈥淧eople of faith have widely varied beliefs about when life begins and that that should therefore be a religious question and not a question decided by the government.鈥�

Later, Sen. Jill Carter, a Granby Republican who chairs the committee, said Missouri鈥檚 Constitution states that life begins at conception. She asked if murdering a 2-year-old is a religious belief. 鈥淲hen does it end?鈥� Carter asked.

Gordon responded that 鈥渘o major religion believes in the murder of a living human person who is out in the world after they have been born.鈥�

Sen. Joe Nicola, R-Independence, later commented that 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure if you鈥檝e ever heard of honor killings that the Muslims have under Sharia law ... they do kill their daughters for honor killing.鈥�

鈥淭hat is extremely racist and the use of religion to justify fundamentalist extremism happens in every faith tradition,鈥� Gordon said.

Ghazala Hayat, spokesperson for the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. 香港三级片, to a Washington Post column that 鈥渘owhere in Islamic law are honor killings allowed or condoned.... Misguided people, including some Muslims, use religion as a shelter to justify heinous acts.鈥�

At another point, Sen. Patty Lewis, D-Kansas City, estimated five witnesses for the bill in the hearing room, and about 100 in opposition who traveled to the Capitol.

Carter said many on her side didn鈥檛 feel the need to testify.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 their confidence in us, in moving this forward, that has alleviated the concern for them to have to come and be here today,鈥� Carter said.

The legislation is Hous