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Mo. Legislature votes to override veto of birth control bill

Updated 9/13/2012, 4:51 p.m.

A Kansas City-based labor group is seeking to block the new law allowing Missouri employers to deny health insurance coverage for birth control pills and other contraceptive procedures.

The new law took effect after the Missouri General Assembly overrode Governor Jay Nixon’s (D) veto during Wednesday’s veto session.  Attorney E.E. Keenan represents the Greater Kansas City Coalition of Labor Union Women.

“This bill throws millions of every day workers under the bus in the name of religious freedom, when in fact it’s the workers’ religious freedom that’s being violated," Keenan said.

The case will be heard in Cole County Circuit Court.  Keenan says they don’t have a hearing date yet, but he expects the suit will eventually wind up before the Missouri Supreme Court.

“It directly thumbs its nose at the federal government’s health care laws," Keenan said.  "We all learned in grade school that the federal law is the supreme law of the land…the legislature completely disregarded that lesson in overriding this veto.”

The new law’s supporters say employers, particularly small business owners, should not be forced to provide insurance benefits that violate their religious beliefs. 

Updated 5:44 p.m.

The new law has now been hit with a lawsuit.

Later Wednesday, an attorney for the Greater Kansas City Coalition of Labor Union Women said it was seeking an injunction against the measure. Among other things, the lawsuit claims the Missouri measure conflicts with President Barack Obama's health care law, which requires insurers to cover contraception.

Updated at 3:20 and 6:45 p.m.

The state House has also voted to override Governor Jay Nixon's  (D) veto, meaning the legislation is now state law. 

Both chambers needed a 2/3rds majority to override the veto, and the House got exactly that margin.  The vote there was 109-45, the exact minimum required for passage.  Seven Democrats joined Republicans in voting "yes," although the override nearly failed because three Republican House members were not on the floor during the vote.  The final vote authorizing the override was cast by State Rep. Chris Molendorp (R, Belton), who voted against the bill on the final day of the 2012 session.

The new law gives employers the option of denying coverage for birth control, abortions and sterilization.  GOP Assistant Floor Leader Jeannie Riddle (R, Mokane) says it’s about both religious freedom and protecting small business owners.

“To require them to go against every moral fiber of how they choose to operate their business, I believe it goes against every moral fiber of us as Americans," Riddle said.

Riddle also cut off floor debate after making her comments.  The measure had a much easier time in the Missouri Senate today.  The override passed there 26-6, well more than the required 2/3rds majority.  Governor Nixon was obviously disappointed, saying the new law will weaken women’s options and give too much power to insurance companies.

“For the first time, it puts the insurance company in a position to refuse to provide that as part of their coverage," Nixon told reporters after the vote.  "That’s an impediment to that woman – what would otherwise be accessible to her in her policy, wouldn’t be…I see that as an impediment.”

Today's override marks the second time the Missouri General Assembly has reversed one of Governor Nixon's vetoes.  Lawmakers also overrode the veto of the state's new Congressional map during last year's redistricting battle.

The initial House vote on May 18 was 105-33 - five votes shy of the 2/3 majority needed to override a veto. However, 25 state representatives were absent that day.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis called the override a "powerful pro-life statement" and a "victory for Catholics, people of all faiths, and more specifically, Missouri citizens who value religious liberty."

Our earlier story: 

Missouri senators have voted to override Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of a bill expanding religious exceptions for insurance coverage of birth control.

The vote Wednesday sends the bill to the House, where a two-thirds vote also is needed for an override.

The legislation lets individuals, employers and insurers cite religious or moral exemptions from mandatory insurance coverage for abortion, contraception and sterilization. It's intended as a rebuff of an Obama administration policy that requires insurers to cover birth control at no additional cost to women, including those employed by religious nonprofits such as hospitals, colleges or charities.

A 2001 Missouri law already requires birth control prescriptions to be covered under policies that include pharmaceutical benefits. That law also allows insurers to offer policies without contraception coverage to those who say it violates their beliefs.

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Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.
Rachel Lippmann
Lippmann returned to her native St. Louis after spending two years covering state government in Lansing, Michigan. She earned her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and followed (though not directly) in Maria Altman's footsteps in Springfield, also earning her graduate degree in public affairs reporting. She's also done reporting stints in Detroit, Michigan and Austin, Texas. Rachel likes to fill her free time with good books, good friends, good food, and good baseball.