By Dave Andrusko

Pro-life Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens
Only time will tell what the Missouri Legislature will do, but pro-life Gov. Eric Greitens has made his position clear: he opposes a bill [Board Bill 203], passed by the St. Louis board of aldermen to make the largest city in Missouri an Abortion Sanctuary City.
Gov. Greitens expressed his steadfast opposition in a Facebook post over the weekend.
He wrote:
A group of politicians just passed a bill making St. Louis what the media is calling an “Abortion Sanctuary City.”
This bill attacks clinics that help women. “Alternatives to Abortion” clinics are non-profits that provide women with counsel, support, and resources. What they don’t do is advocate for abortion. In our budget, we provided $6 million for these clinics, based on the important work they do to help women.
Now St. Louis liberals and the National Abortion Rights Action League are trying to undermine and destroy them. This is serious. We’re working with legislators, faith leaders, women’s advocates, and anyone who values life to fight back against this Abortion Sanctuary City movement. There’s a lot that we can do to fight this—and we’ll need your help in doing so.
For now, we’re asking for your prayers and your voice. We need to send a clear message: the people of Missouri do not support Abortion Sanctuary Cities. We will fight for the vulnerable to get the support they need in tough times—we will proudly stand up for life.
On February 17, the Board of Aldermen voted 17-10 to approve Board Bill 203, an ordinance that adds to the city’s discrimination ordinance. Abortion became a protected class equal with race, gender, religion and disability.
“We must protect people of faith and we must protect the unborn,” Gov. Greitens said in a prior phone conversation with Don Hinkle, Pathway Editor and Public Policy Advisor for the Missouri Baptist Convention. “We must win this and I am proud to lead the fight on this issue.”
Pro-life organizations such as NRLC affiliate Missouri Right to Life, and the Catholic Church, have expressed their unequivocal opposition.
“(St. Louis) civic leaders have taken every citizen into the business of protecting abortion,” Missouri Right to Life President Steve Rupp said. “This action betrays the fine history of this state, betrays the many citizens in the St. Louis area and across the state who are proud of and love St. Louis and love to spend time there with friends and family. Board Bill 203 clearly discriminates against the religious freedom of those who oppose the killing of innocent human beings in the womb.”
In a statement, the Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis, warned of the additional ramification of a bill that “attacks the most deeply held moral and religious convictions of the people of this great city.”
This proposed ordinance seeks to make St. Louis a sanctuary city for abortion, an act that kills innocent unborn children. This is not what our city should stand for; rather, St. Louis should be a sanctuary for life and compassion, especially compassion for mothers and their developing children.
Board Bill 203 is vague and ambiguous but could have terrible consequences for religious institutions. For example, a Catholic school or Catholic Charities agency could be fined by the City of St. Louis for not employing persons who publicly promote practices such as abortion. In addition, our Catholic institutions could be fined for not including coverage for abortion in their insurance plans.
Board Bill 203 could also allow the City of St. Louis to fine landlords and others who do not want to rent to or be associated with the abortion industry. This proposed ordinance, therefore, would force the people of St. Louis to be complicit in the profound evil of abortion. This would be a flagrant violation of religious liberty and individual rights of conscience.
According to St. Louis Public Radio, on Tuesday State Rep. Phil Christofanelli filed House Bill 989 which would reverse the new ordinance.
The bill must go through a few procedures before it can get a public hearing. Christofanelli said it was “crafted in coordination” with Missouri Right to Life, which has a strong lobbying presence at the Missouri Capitol and widespread support among ideologically conservative lawmakers.