FIRST REGULAR SESSION
96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES LONG (Sponsor), HOUGH, HOUGHTON, DAY, WRIGHT, LAIR, GRISAMORE, SCHATZ, HIGDON, BROWN (116), DIECKHAUS, LAUER, CROSS, GATSCHENBERGER, THOMSON, RUZICKA, WETER, NOLTE, FRANZ, KORMAN, RIDDLE, DENISON, SHUMAKE, ROWLAND, BERNSKOETTER, SCHAD, JONES (89), LICHTENEGGER, McCAHERTY, COX, FUNDERBURK, SOLON, McNARY, LEACH, NETH, KOENIG, CURTMAN, STREAM, TILLEY, WIELAND, SMITH (150), SCHIEBER, BERRY, REIBOLDT, LANT, BROWN (85), FUHR, WHITE, DAVIS, ELMER, CRAWFORD, ENTLICHER, ALLEN, FLANIGAN, KLIPPENSTEIN, REDMON, BARNES, PARKINSON, RICHARDSON, NANCE, LOEHNER, CAUTHORN, LASATER, HINSON, DIEHL, SCHOELLER, BAHR, ASBURY, BLACK, KELLEY (126), FRAKER, KEENEY, FITZWATER, WYATT, FRANKLIN, JONES (117), LARGENT, ZERR, HAEFNER, CONWAY (14), MARSHALL, SILVEY, COOKSON, TORPEY, HOSKINS, MOLENDORP, HARRIS, KRATKY, MEADOWS, FALLERT, CASEY, SCHIEFFER, QUINN, SATER, FISHER, McGEOGHEGAN, SCHARNHORST AND POLLOCK (Co-sponsors).
WHEREAS, the life-affirming impact of pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes on women, families, and the communities they serve is considerable and growing, and pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes serve with integrity and compassion; and
WHEREAS, more than 65 pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes throughout Missouri provide care to women and their families facing unplanned pregnancies, including resources to meet their physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs; and
WHEREAS, according to the Missouri Department of Social Services, in fiscal year 2010, Missouri's pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes served about 38,000 clients, with services which include free pregnancy tests; baby and maternity clothing; diapers; childbirth, parenting, GED, budgeting, and job training classes; housing; ultrasound services; and
WHEREAS, many pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes offer twenty-four hour telephone hotlines; information on adoption and adoption counseling; referrals to community, health care, and other support services, in addition to other prenatal services that lead to the birth of healthy infants; and
WHEREAS, pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes encourage pregnant women to make positive life choices by equipping them with complete and accurate information regarding their pregnancy options and the development of their unborn children; and
WHEREAS, pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes provide women with compassionate and confidential counseling in a nonjudgmental manner regardless of their pregnancy outcomes, as well as providing abstinence education, domestic violence information, and relationship counseling; and
WHEREAS, many pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes provide grief assistance for women who regret the loss of a child from past choices they made or the circumstances they were placed in; and
WHEREAS, pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes operate primarily through the voluntary donations and time of caring individuals, as well as the support of churches, who are committed to caring for the needs of women and their families and promoting and protecting life:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, the members of the Missouri House of Representatives, Ninety-sixth General Assembly, hereby support the work of pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes in this state and acknowledge their outstanding service to women and families in Missouri in providing holistic life changing services beyond the state's ability