Missouri House Passes Ban on Fetal-Tissue Donation

Missouri lawmakers are advancing a proposed ban on donation of fetal tissue from abortions.

House members voted 120-34 Thursday to outlaw the practice. The vote follows Republican outcry over undercover videos released last summer that purported to show Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of aborted fetal body parts.

Planned Parenthood denies wrongdoing, and Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster found no evidence of wrongdoing in Missouri.

The legislation headed to the Senate would also establish a tracking system for fetal remains from abortions. It requires hospitals, abortion clinics, and pathology labs that deal with fetal-tissue remains from abortions to adopt whistle-blower protection policies.

Democratic opponents slammed the bill as adding unnecessary regulations on abortion facilities. Some argued women should have the option to donate tissue for medical research.