Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Missouri Republicans Block Abortion Exceptions For Rape, Incest
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Senate Republicans Block Rape And Incest Exceptions For Missouri Abortion Ban
Despite recent blow-ups among Republicans in the Missouri Senate, the majority party remained unified Wednesday to block a Democratic effort to legalize abortion in cases of rape or incest. After Republicans opened debate on a plan to ban Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood, Democrats responded with amendments aimed at loosening Missouri’s near-total abortion ban. Missouri since June 2022 has only allowed abortions in medical emergencies. (Suntrup, 2/7)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: ‘Thousands’ Attend Launch Events To Gather Signatures To Put Abortion On Missouri’s Ballot
Megan Shebosky-Aken drove three hours from her home in Malden, Missouri, in the state’s Bootheel to attend a signature-gathering event in St. Louis that kicked off an effort to put the question of whether to legalize abortion on a statewide ballot. “That’s how much it means to me to get my reproductive rights back,” said Shebosky-Aken, 33, who wanted to be the first among Dunklin County residents to sign the petition. (Munz, 2/7)
Abortion news from Florida, Wyoming, and Illinois —
Tampa Bay Times: Florida Justices Raise Questions Over Proposed Abortion Amendment
Florida’s Supreme Court justices on Wednesday questioned whether a proposed amendment that would restore broader abortion access was “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” The amendment would protect abortion until viability, which is estimated to be at about 24 weeks. It would undo Florida’s current ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and negate a six-week ban that lawmakers approved to take effect pending the outcome of an ongoing court case. But whether the proposal appears on the 2024 ballot hinges on the conservative seven-member Florida Supreme Court. (Ellenbogen, 2/7)
KHOL/ Jackson Hole Community Radio: Abortion Access Returns To Jackson — For Now
Jackson will once again be home to one of the state’s only abortion providers. On Tuesday, Feb. 6, Dr. Katie Noyes confirmed she’s offering pregnancy-ending medications at St. John’s Family Medicine starting this month. (Merzbach, 2/7)
St. Louis Public Radio: Illinois Abortion Clinics Want State Protections From Protestors
Citing an increase in harassment and intimidation from anti-abortion protesters, abortion providers in Illinois on Tuesday implored state legislators to pass laws to protect clinics and their workers. Abortion providers said such incidents have increased in the state since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade, which protected access to abortion nationwide. (Fentem, 2/6)
The Washington Post: Democrat Pritzker Ramps Up Abortion Rights Investments Amid 2028 Chatter
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is tapping his personal wealth to try to enshrine abortion access in battleground states, making an election-year push to support ballot measures and expanding his national footprint in the Democratic Party, within which he is regarded as a potential 2028 presidential candidate. Think Big America, a nonprofit founded and solely funded by Pritzker, is the largest backer of an effort to put abortion to a direct vote in Nevada, where the group has donated $1 million and added an on-the-ground adviser. Pritzker’s organization is also supporting a ballot measure push in Arizona and evaluating other states where it could get involved, including Florida and Montana, a top Senate battleground, according to a spokeswoman. (Knowles, 2/7)
In other reproductive health news —
Kansas City Star: Missouri Bill Would Allow Pregnant Women To Finalize Divorces
Missouri prohibits pregnant women from finalizing a divorce, but the restriction is coming under renewed scrutiny after the state in 2022 imposed a near-total abortion ban. A state law prevents judges from finalizing a divorce if a woman is pregnant, since a custody agreement must first be in place. And a custody agreement cannot be completed until the child is born. The law contains no exceptions for survivors of domestic violence. (Bayless and Sago, 2/8)
The Boston Globe: Pregnancy Care Bill Progresses In Massachusetts Legislature
“As we tackle the high cost of health care in Massachusetts, we must bear in mind that all costs are not shared equally. This legislation has the potential to strengthen access and reduce barriers to maternal and reproductive health care for expecting mothers,” Senator Paul Feeney, cochair of the Joint Committee on Financial Services, said in a statement. “In the wealthiest country on the planet, you shouldn’t go broke in the Commonwealth if you get sick, and you certainly shouldn’t have to be independently wealthy to grow your family.” (Johnston, 2/7)
Stat: Could Testosterone Be A Useful Treatment For Menopause?
The world may be getting over the idea that men are from Mars and women from Venus, but public perception still holds that testosterone is the male hormone, and estrogen, the female. That can make the following fact a little puzzling: There is more testosterone than estrogen in a premenopausal woman’s body. (Merelli, 2/8)
