(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed a strict anti-abortion bill into law on Friday.
The bill, HB 126, prohibits abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy -- after a heartbeat is detected.
The bill includes exceptions for what it defines as medical emergencies, such as cases when the mother's life is at risk or she is facing serious permanent injury, but not for pregnancies that are the result of rape or incest.
The bill also includes a total ban on abortion except in cases of medical emergencies if Roe v. Wade was ever overturned.
The law takes effect Aug. 28. Doctors who violate the eight-week cutoff could face five to 15 years in prison.