Anti-Abortion Groups Blamed for Axing Nurse Funds in Mo.

By Jessica Portner

Gov. Mel Carnahan of Missouri blamed anti-abortion groups for killing a bill that would have continued state funding for school nurses who serve more than 200,000 students in public and private schools throughout the state.

In the final days of the legislative session this month, the anti-abortion majority in the House voted to attach an amendment to a health-services spending bill that would have restricted school nurses from counseling or referring students to agencies that perform abortions.

Under the amendment, school health workers would be allowed to make abortion referrals to licensed hospitals...