Lawyers for religious leaders challenging Missouri abortion ban say law imposes beliefs on everyone

By JIM SALTER
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Lawyers for a group of religious leaders who support abortion rights said during a hearing that Missouri lawmakers intended to “impose their religious beliefs on everyone” in the state when they passed a restrictive abortion ban. But attorneys for the state countered Thursday that just because some supporters of the law oppose abortion on religious grounds doesn’t mean the law forces their beliefs on anyone else. Thirteen Christian, Jewish and Unitarian Universalist leaders filed suit in January seeking a permanent injunction barring Missouri from enforcing its abortion law, and a declaration that provisions violate the Missouri Constitution. Thursday’s hearing in St. Louis concerned the state’s request to dismiss the lawsuit. A ruling isn’t expected until January.