House passes bill overturning St. Louis abortion ordinance

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri House on Thursday passed a bill that would effectively overturn a St. Louis ordinance protecting women against workplace discrimination based on whether they've had an abortion, used contraceptives or are pregnant.

The bill, which passed with a 118-36 vote and now moves to the Senate, is the second proposal the House has passed this session that would nullify a local St. Louis law. Earlier this month, representatives approved a bill overturning a city minimum-wage increase.

Rep. Michael Butler, who represents part of the city of St. Louis, pleaded with the House to stop overturning local ordinances.

"This is the second or third time this session that we're going to do something that affects something only in St. Louis," he said. "Let my people go."

The most recent ordinance states no employer in St. Louis city limits can fire, discipline or refuse to hire someone based on their "reproductive health decisions," including abortion, using contraceptives, using artificial insemination or getting pregnant out of wedlock. Landlords also can't refuse to rent to someone based on those criteria.

The law doesn't apply to religious organizations such as churches and schools. But there is no exemption for faith-based "crisis pregnancy centers" that counsel women against abortion.

Rep. Tila Hubrecht, a Republican from Dexter, said her bill would allow such centers to operate without fear of "discrimination" by prohibiting local governments and organizations from passing rules restricting the rights of crisis-pregnancy centers. It would effectively nullify the St. Louis ordinance, which requires the centers to adhere to the anti-discrimination policy.

She encouraged representatives to follow a tradition of promoting state control.

"We have a history of making sure that certain businesses and occupations should be regulated by state laws and not multiple conflicting local laws," Hubrecht said.

But Democrats, who largely come from urban districts in Kansas City and St. Louis, slammed the Legislature's reputation of overturning local rules.

"I take great offense to the bill sponsor saying that we have done this over and over in the past," said Rep. Stacey Newman from St. Louis. "We have done this over and over in the past against the will of the people."

In 2015, when the Columbia City Council discussed a plastic-bag ban, the Legislature passed a bill prohibiting cities from passing ordinances to stop plastic-bag use. And the law went further: It also stopped local governments from adopting their own "living wages" or requiring businesses to provide employees paid sick leave, vacation or health, disability and retirement benefits.

The state also passed a law expanding rights of gun owners, saying no ordinance can preclude people from using a firearm "in defense of person or property."

And recently when the Missouri Supreme Court struck down one of the laws preventing St. Louis from moving forward with a minimum-wage increase, the Legislature pushed back. A bill banning local minimum wages now awaits a vote in the Senate.