JEFFERSON CITY — Both chambers of the Missouri Legislature are prioritizing new abortion restrictions, countering a ballot question voters approved last year that enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution.
In his first speech to fellow House members last week, House Speaker Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, declared legislators must “make Missouri the most pro-life state it can be.â€
And in a news release last week, Senate Republicans listed “advancing legislation that protects the unborn and supports families†as one of their priorities.
The agenda item by Republicans follows voter approval of Amendment 3 in the Nov. 5 election, which created the right to abortion until the point of fetal viability.
Missouri Republicans enacted a near-total abortion ban in 2022 that banned all abortions except in medical emergencies. There were no exceptions for rape or incest.
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Now, in response to Amendment 3’s passage, Republicans have filed numerous pieces of legislation that would put the issue of abortion back before voters.
Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, who helped pass the original abortion ban, filed a proposed ballot question that would ban all abortions except in medical emergencies and rape.
Her amendment seeks to link the abortion issue to transgender medical care for minors, by also proposing a constitutional ban on “gender transition procedure(s)†for minors.
Such a ban could prove more popular than abortion restrictions. Democrats are likely to accuse Coleman and others of attempting to insert “ballot candy†into the question to entice voters.
Another proposal, by state Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, also seeks to tie the transgender issue to the abortion issue.
Amendment 3 created the right to reproductive freedom, including on abortion, birth control, miscarriage care and more. Opponents argued this would also undo state restrictions on transgender medical care, which others have disputed.
Brattin’s measure would state the right to reproductive freedom shall not include surgeries, or prescription of hormones or puberty blockers to children, for gender transition.
It would also say the right to reproductive freedom does not include abortion “except in cases of medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape, or incest.â€
In cases of rape or incest, Brattin’s legislation says the abortion must be performed or induced “no later than twenty weeks gestational age†and only if a police report has been filed alleging rape or incest.
In the House, one proposed ballot question, by state Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson, would ban abortions, except in medical emergencies, if a fetal heartbeat is detected.
Republicans have also filed regular bills aimed at abortion. Those measures would not go to voters if approved by the House and Senate but would instead head to Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe’s desk.
New laws restricting abortion could lead to new legal fights over whether the restrictions violate the new constitutional amendment.
The Legislature returned to action on Wednesday. So far, no hearings or floor debate on the abortion proposals have occurred.
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Amendment 3, a measure to overturn Missouri's abortion ban, passed in the 2024 election. Lawsuits are on the horizon. Video edited by Jenna Jones.
