Missouri lawmakers approve referendum to repeal abortion-rights
amendment
[May 15, 2025]
By DAVID A. LIEB
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Six months after Missouri voters approved an
abortion-rights amendment, Republican state lawmakers on Wednesday
approved a new referendum that would seek the amendment's repeal and
instead ban most abortions with exceptions for rape an incest.
The newly proposed constitutional amendment would go back to voters in
November 2026, or sooner, if Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe calls a special
election before then.
Republican senators used a series of rare procedural moves to cut off
discussion by opposing Democrats before passing the proposed
abortion-rights revision by a 21-11 vote. The measure passed the
Republican-led House last month.
Immediately after the vote, protestors erupted with chants of “Stop the
ban!” and were ushered out of the Senate chamber.
The Senate then blocked further Democratic debate and gave final
approval to a separate measure repealing provisions of a voter-approved
law guaranteeing paid sick leave for workers and cost-of-living
increases to the minimum wage. That measure does not go back to the
ballot. It will instead become law when signed by Kehoe, who has
expressed his support for it.
After taking the sweeping votes, the Senate effectively ended its annual
legislative session — two days ahead of a constitutional deadline to
wrap up work.
Democrats were outraged by the legislative actions and vowed to
retaliate by slowing down any Senate work next year.
“Our rights are under attack,” Democratic state Sen. Brian Williams said
during debate. He accused Republicans of “trying to overturn the will of
the voters.”
Republicans contend they are simply giving voters a second chance on
abortion — and are confident they will change their minds because of the
new rape and incest exceptions.
“Abortion is the greatest tragedy in the world right now,” Republican
state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman said while explaining her efforts to
repeal the abortion-rights amendment. If someone's fine with “taking the
life of an innocent, then probably you can justify whatever you want.”
Some GOP lawmakers said they needed to repeal the paid sick leave
requirement, which kicked in May 1, because it's adding costs that
threaten the financial viability of small businesses. Republicans had
been negotiating with Democrats over an alternative to exempt only the
smallest businesses before scrapping that and opting for the full
repeal.
Missouri lawmakers have a history of altering voter-approved policies.
They previously tried to block funding for a voter-approved Medicaid
expansion and authored changes to voter-approved measures regulating dog
breeders and legislative redistricting.
Missouri's abortion policies have swung dramatically in recent years.
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People in support of abortion rights protest outside the Missouri
Senate chamber after the Senate voted to approve a referendum
seeking to repeal an abortion-rights amendment on Wednesday, May 14,
2025, in Jefferson City, Mo. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb)
 When the U.S. Supreme Court ended a
nationwide right to abortion by overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, it
triggered a Missouri law to take effect banning most abortions. But
abortion-rights activists gathered initiative petition signatures to
reverse that.
Last November, Missouri voters narrowly approved a
constitutional amendment guaranteeing a right to abortion until
fetal viability, generally considered sometime past 21 weeks of
pregnancy. The amendment also allows later abortions to protect the
life or health of pregnant women and creates a “fundamental right to
reproductive freedom” that includes birth control, prenatal and
postpartum care and “respectful birthing conditions.”
A limited number of surgical abortions have since occurred in
Missouri, but medication abortions remain on hold while Planned
Parenthood wrangles with the state over abortion regulations.
The new measure seeks to repeal the abortion-rights amendment and
instead allow abortions only for a medical emergency or fetal
anomaly, or in cases of rape or incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.
It also would prohibit gender transition surgeries, hormone
treatments and puberty blockers for minors, which already are barred
under state law.
Polling indicates “that most voters are opposed to most abortions in
Missouri but do want to allow for abortions with limited
exceptions,” said Sam Lee, director of Campaign Life Missouri.
The ballot title that voters will see doesn't explicitly mention
repealing Amendment 3. Instead, it says the new measure would
“ensure women's safety during abortions, ensure parental consent for
minors" and “allow abortions for medical emergencies, fetal
anomalies, rape, and incest.” It also states that it will “protect
children from gender transition,” among other provisions.
Democratic state Sen. Tracy McCreery called the measure “an attempt
to mislead and lie to the voters,” echoing similar accusations that
Republicans had made against the original Amendment 3.
An abortion-rights coalition that includes Planned Parenthood
affiliates, the American Civil Liberties Union and others planned a
rally Thursday at the Missouri Capitol and vowed a vigorous campaign
against the measure.
“Abortion rights won in this state six months ago, and mark my
words: Missourians will protect reproductive freedom again,” said
Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains
Votes.
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