Missouri senate passes anti-abortion bill that bans termination from 8 weeks, days after Alabama and Georgia pass similarly hardline laws

Reuters

Anti-abortion marchers rally at the Supreme Court during the 46th annual March for Life in Washington

• The Republican-led Senate in Missouri has become the latest state legislature to pass a hardline anti-abortion bill.
• The bill outlaws abortions at eight weeks, even in cases of rape or incest.
• It must now pass the Missouri House and be approved by Governor Mike Parson before it becomes law. Both are likely to let the bill through.
• In recent weeks a series of states have passed strict abortion restriction bills.
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The Republican-controlled Senate in Missouri has passed a strict anti-abortion bill, which would outlaw the termination of pregnancies from eight weeks, even in cases of rape or incest.

The state senate approved the legislation at nearly 4 a.m. local time on Thursday, with only hours to go before a deadline to pass new bills, reported the Associated Press.

The bill makes exceptions only for cases where there is a medical emergency.

It will now be voted on the state's House, before it can be sent to the desk of Governor Mike Parson, who has expressed approval of the bill.

In recent weeks a series of states have passed strict abortion restriction bills, with Alabama's governor approving a near total abortion ban late Wednesday.

Conservatives have advanced new anti-abortion measures in the hope of sparking a new Supreme Court case, where there is now a conservative majority of justices.