Missouri's Governor vetoed a bill that would have made women wait 72 hours to receive an abortion, citing a "callous disregard for women" on behalf of the state legislature, the Associated Press reported.
Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat, issued the veto Wednesday amidst protests from Republicans who promised to challenge the ruling. The governor said the legislation places an undue burden on victims of rape and incest by making them wait three days for an abortion.
"This extreme and disrespectful measure would unnecessarily prolong the suffering of rape and incest victims and jeopardize the health and wellbeing of women," Nixon said according to the AP.
Missouri would have been the only state besides South Dakota and Utah to pass a law that requires women to wait 72 hours from when they see a doctor till they get an abortion. Utah's law, however, allows rape and incest victims and those under 14 to skip the wait.
Missouri Democrats tried to add an exemption clause for rape and incest victims while the bill was debated, but Republicans quashed it.
Not having such an exemption "demonstrates a callous disregard for women who find themselves in horrific circumstances," Nixon told the AP.
Republicans said Wednesday the governor was placing the lives of accidental babies created from consenting parties above those created by rape and incest.
"They're both equal in God's eyes. Those children are both of equal importance," Republican Representative David Sater told the AP.
It appears state Republicans may have the ability to override the veto. The bill passed the Republican-led House with a 111-39 vote, just two votes above the requirement for overriding the veto. The vote was supported by nine Democrats who stepped in when a few Republicans were absent.
"I'm confident that we've got more than ample numbers to override the government's veto," Republican Representative Kevin Elmer told the AP.
Currently, women in Missouri have to wait 24 hours for abortions after seeing a physician. There is an exception that allows doctors to perform the procedures in the case of a medical emergency.
