Healthcare

Missouri GOP Overrides Contraception Veto

This is why Todd Akin still has a chance to win after his "legitimate rape" and "shut that whole thing down" comments.

The Missouri legislature has overridden Gov. Jan Nixon’s (D) veto of a bill that would allow employers or health insurance providers to stop offering coverage for contraception, abortion, or sterilization if doing so violated their religious or moral convictions. Nixon had vetoed the legislation in July after it passed in May. The Missouri House voted 109-45 — the exact number of votes needed — to overturn Nixon’s decision, and the Senate approved the override 26-6. The contraception measure was designed to push back against an Obamacare regulation requiring contraception coverage to be included in insurance plans at no additional cost. According to the Associated Press, Missouri has had a law since 2001 requiring contraception to be covered under pharmaceutical benefits.

To repeat -- Missouri law already required that contraception be covered, but the state GOP wanted to pass a new law to reverse that requirement. Why? Because Obamacare is evil and the president is black. Because big government! Or something.

Governor Nixon vetoed but bill, but his veto has now been overridden.