Missouri House committee approves 'personhood' amendment

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri House committee approved a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would declare a right to life for unborn children "at every stage of biological development."

The amendment approved Tuesday does not include any exceptions in cases of rape, incest or to save the mother's life.

The Kansas City Star reported critics of the legislation say it would make abortion illegal in Missouri, while supporters disagree.

Voters in North Dakota and Colorado rejected similar proposed constitutional amendments in 2014. And the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2012 ruled a proposal to grant "personhood" to human embryos would be an improper ban on abortion.

The proposal is considered unlikely to pass this year because only a few weeks are left in the Legislative session.

Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com