“Missouri Republicans Push to Undermine Abortion Rights Amendment: What You Need to Know”

Missouri Republican lawmakers are making moves to overturn a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion, just one month after it was approved by voters. One measure being proposed would define life as beginning at conception, classifying abortion as an unlawful killing. Another proposal aims to repeal the abortion rights amendment by banning gender transition procedures for minors, despite the fact that gender-affirming care for transgender children is already illegal in Missouri.

Additional proposed amendments include stricter abortion limits, such as restricting access to cases of rape, incest, medical emergencies, and fetal anomalies. These measures would impose additional requirements, such as mandating that rape survivors file police reports to obtain an abortion. Lawmakers have also introduced a measure to raise the threshold for amending the state constitution through voter initiatives, potentially making it harder to pass similar measures in the future.

The legislative efforts come in the wake of the November election, where the abortion rights amendment was approved by a 51.6%-48.4% margin. The right to abortion will now be constitutionally guaranteed up to the point of fetal viability, with restrictions on post-viability abortions remaining in place.

Critics of the proposed amendments argue that they seek to undermine the will of the voters and distract from the strong voter support for abortion rights. The legal landscape around abortion in Missouri is already shifting, with a lawsuit challenging Missouri’s near-total abortion ban and other laws that regulate abortion. Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri are seeking to strike down these laws following the passage of the abortion rights amendment.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has acknowledged that the amendment will legalize most abortions when it goes into effect but intends to enforce remaining restrictions. Lawmakers are also pushing to raise the bar for passing constitutional amendments, requiring a majority of voters in five of the state’s eight congressional districts.

The proposed measures in Missouri reflect a broader trend of efforts to restrict abortion rights in conservative-leaning states. It remains to be seen whether these measures will garner enough support in the General Assembly to be enacted. Critics of the measures point to the significant fundraising efforts in support of abortion rights during the election, making it challenging for opponents to overturn the constitutional amendment.