By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – The Missouri Senate has set aside a bill that would make it illegal to coerce a woman into having an abortion, after a group of Democratic senators launched a filibuster Monday.
Joan Bray of St. Louis, one of the senators who led the filibuster, says there are no statistics about women being coerced into having abortions.
"This is something that's just been dreamed up across the country and in various states to put another hurdle in the way of getting a safe, legal procedure," Bray said.
Senators Jeff Smith (D, St. Louis) and Jolie Justus (D, Kansas City) also participated in the filibuster.
Bray says they'll resume blocking the bill if it is brought back up.
Republican leaders set the bill aside around 9:30 last night, following nearly five hours of speeches by Bray, Smith and Justus.
State Senator Rob Mayer (R, Dexter) is sponsoring the legislation.
"We understood that this bill would face difficulties...though we're disappointed, we're ready to go again and (to) try to get this passed before the session ends," Mayer said.
The bill would also require women to wait 24 hours before having an abortion, and doctors during that time would be required to offer an ultrasound and the chance to hear the fetal heartbeat.
Bray says the bill's backers are trying to force women to have babies they don't want.