Humphreys accuses Ashcroft of using deceptive ballot language for anti-abortion measure

In a statement issued today, TAMKO Chairman and CEO David Humphreys accused Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft of using deceptive ballot language for House Bill 126, which puts strict anti-abortion laws into effect.

The bill, similar to bills that passed in other states earlier this year, does not permit abortions in cases of rape or incest.

Humphreys' statement is printed below, followed by the ballot language.

STATEMENT TO MEDIA FROM DAVID HUMPHREYS
CHAIRMAN AND CEO, TAMKO HOLDINGS INC.
RE: SECRETARY OF STATE ASHCROFT BALLOT ISSUE LANGUAGE

The ballot language issued Aug. 14 by Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft dishonestly misstates the content of House Bill 126 and its devastating impact on women and young girls in our state.

Jay Ashcroft’s deceptively stated “exception” for medical emergencies is no exception at all. Physicians will have to risk their reputations and their livelihoods – and face possible imprisonment – for performing any post-eight-week emergency medical procedure that results in termination of a pregnancy.

Women and girls could be deemed criminals without ever intending to abort their pregnancies.

The complete lack of exceptions to protect female victims of rape and incest is another flagrant example of Jay Ashcroft’s misstatements on his ballot summary of legislation that is deeply flawed and likely unconstitutional.

The ballot language Humphreys objects to is printed below:

OFFICIAL BALLOT TITLE AS CERTIFIED BY
SECRETARY OF STATE

Do you want to adopt House Bill 126 passed by the General Assembly in 2019, which specifically amends Missouri law to:

• provide the unborn child with the same protections as those already born;
• prohibit abortions at eight weeks of gestation (at which time there is a medically detected heartbeat), except in cases of medical emergency;
• establish successive times at which abortions are prohibited (fourteen weeks, eighteen weeks, twenty weeks, all with medical emergency exceptions) if earlier time frames are found unlawful; and
• prohibit an abortion based solely on the sex, race or Down Syndrome screening of the unborn child?

Revenues from state sources may decrease by at least $4.9 million annually and federal Medicaid revenues may decrease by an unknown amount, up to $7.2 billion annually. The Public Defender’s Office anticipates increased costs of an unknown amount to defend women’s medical actions after conception. Local governmental entities anticipate a significant negative impact.