ST. LOUIS — A Missouri House committee has passed legislation that would ban the trafficking of abortion-inducing drugs or devices used to perform or induce abortions in violation of state or federal law, amending a bill that as originally written, also would have banned the abortion of ectopic pregnancies.

The House Special Committee on Government Oversight voted to pass House Bill 2810, sponsored by Taney County Republican State Rep. Brian Seitz, on Tuesday.

In committee testimony, Planned Parenthood said the bill could have a “chilling effect” on manufacturers of products and medications used in both abortion procedures and labor and delivery.

“The use of these medications help make certain procedures safer and more comfortable for patients. This bill could make it impossible for Missourians to access these medications for any reason,” the organization said in testimony.

“Criminalizing the import, export, distribution, delivery, and production of these medical
tools and medicines could open manufacturers up to investigations and penalties, which could create
a chilling effect on manufacturers and distributors.”

The language on ectopic pregnancies drew criticism from the Missouri State Medical Association, among others, which called for it to be removed from the bill.

State Sen. Caleb Rowden, the Republican Senate Majority Leader, said on Twitter after the original bill was first heard in committee that it was “DOA” in that chamber if it makes it out of the House.