The events of this week once again reminded me of the dangerous world we live in. I am also reminded of scripture's promise "where sin did abound, grace abounded much more." I am grateful to the men and women of all branches of law enforcement who, by virtue of both their nature and calling, willingly put their lives on the line daily to provide each of us the grace of safety. A special thank you is owed to Capitol Police, here in our Capitol, in state capitols across the nation and in Washington D.C., because too often their efforts and sacrifice go unpublicized and under-appreciated.
The Legislature convened again this week for a special session to protect life and affirm the first amendment rights of all Missourians. I am grateful for the governor's leadership on this issue and for his rapid and detailed special session call in response to the biased opinion of an unelected federal judge. I believe the majority of Missourians support protecting the lives of unborn children. I believe the majority of Missourians support efforts to ensure all medical procedures performed in the state are done in settings and with techniques that promote the health and safety of patients. I believe the majority of Missourians support the freedoms and protections of the First Amendment. I ran for office standing on these beliefs and I am always pleased to put them into action.
Late Wednesday night, the Senate completed work on a substantive and comprehensive bill that does more to protect the lives of the unborn, women's health and the first amendment right of Missourians than any legislation in years. With the passage of Senate Bill 5, the senate declared government, at any level, cannot require Pregnancy Resource Centers or other pro-life organizations to hire individuals fundamentally opposed to the tenants of that pro-life organization. Additional common-sense measures to ensure abortion facilities meet the minimum basic medical standards of safety and infection control required for any other medical procedures, to ensure the attorney general has concurrent jurisdiction to enforce abortion laws, and to require annual inspections of abortion clinics are also vitally important and reasonable.
Finally, I want to wish everyone a Happy Father's Day. I am thankful for my children and I am thankful to be a father. If your dad is close, give him a hug. If he is far away, give him a call. If he has stepped into eternity, may the memories of time spent together be a salve to the pain of his absence. Though I grew up not knowing my father, I had a loving mother who was wise enough to recognize the need for family friends to serve a mentoring role in my life. These men, and a wise older brother, made a difference to me. I remember and honor their influence this Father's Day.
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State Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, represents the 6th District, and shares his perspective on statehouse issues each week.