Police officers would be granted the power to prevent women from having an abortion under a new bill proposed by a politician in Missouri.

Mike Moon, a Republican Missouri state representative who previously shared a video of himself decapitating a living chicken on Facebook to justify why abortion should be banned, introduced the controversial legislation.

The bill, which is termed the Right to Due Process Act, changes the definition of a fertilised egg to be a living person who possesses the constitutional rights of anyone else residing in the US.

Police and courts would subsequently be empowered to apply the proposed law, which would ultimately deem having an abortion to be equivalent to carrying out murder.

Mr Moon also submitted another piece of legislation to “abolish” abortion in Missouri that refers to “murder by abortion”. The stringent abortion ban would also criminalise having a pregnancy terminated in cases of rape and incest.

Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Show all 11 1 /11 Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Pro-choice campaigners stood outside the Stormont Estate on Monday 21 October with the word "decriminalised" spelt out in front of them as some of Stormont’s assembly members returned to the chamber for the first time in nearly three years. A group of Northern Irish lawmakers returned to parliament in a failed last-minute protest at the decriminalisation of abortion in the region. AFP via Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Attendees at a pro-choice press conference embraced one another ahead of the meeting of the Stormont Assembly on abortion rights and same-sex marriage in Belfast. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland A member of pro-choice group Alliance for Choice smiled as she and others marched in support of abortion rights in Belfast, Northern Ireland, following a pro-choice press conference. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Members of pro-choice groups Alliance for Choice and Pro Life held demonstrations outside Stormont on Monday 21 October as a last-minute attempt to stop the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland was made by the Democratic Unionist party. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland A rally was held in Dublin City centre on Monday 21 October in celebration of the eminent decriminalisation of abortion and same-sex marriage. PA Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Equal marriage campaigners Martha Brown and Louise McCullough celebrated at Maverick Bar in Belfast as same-sex marriage and abortion were legalised in Northern Ireland. PA Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Members of pro-choice group Alliance for Choice made their way to Stormont carrying abortion rights signs. Getty Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Kellie Turtle and Emma Campbell embraced as members of pro-choice group Alliance for Choice held a press conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Activist Ashleigh Topley wiped away her tears during the Alliance for Choice press conference on Monday 21 October. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Members of Alliance for Group embraced one another after their pro-choice press conference. Getty Images Celebrations as abortion is decriminalised in Northern Ireland Abortion rights campaigners marched through the streets of Belfast ahead of the meeting of the Stormont Assembly on abortion rights and same-sex marriage. Getty

But the so-called Right to Due Process Act only has one co-sponsor, while the latter has none.

In the clip of Mr Moon beheading a chicken in 2017, the politician says “God gave us man dominion over life” just after he chops a bird’s head off with a knife.

“He allows us to raise animals properly and care for them and then process them for food so we can sustain life. And that’s what I’m doing here with this chicken. So we’ve been called back to this special session for the primary purpose of supporting life, protecting the unborn specifically.”

Prior to taking the bird’s heart out, he adds: “I think we need to get to the heart of the matter here”.

Mr Moon’s suggested law would not be enforceable because abortion remains legal in all 50 American states.

Missouri almost became the first state in America not to have an abortion clinic since Roe v Wade — the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalised abortion nationwide in 1973 but that is endangered by an abortion case timetabled to come before the court in March.