One month after Missouri approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion, legislators have proposed a flurry of bills to tighten abortion access or raise the bar for future amendments driven by voter initiatives.

Summary

Following Missouri voters’ narrow approval of a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights, GOP lawmakers are moving to undermine it.

Proposed measures include enshrining “personhood” at conception, tying abortion restrictions to bans on gender-affirming care, and adding barriers to constitutional amendments by requiring majorities in rural districts.

Critics say these efforts defy voter will and could complicate other reproductive technologies like IVF.

Meanwhile, legal challenges to Missouri’s near-total abortion ban are ongoing, with Planned Parenthood seeking to resume services in key cities.

The Republican push reflects broader conservative strategies to counter progressive ballot initiatives.

  • Irremarkable@fedia.io
    11·
    17 days ago

    So the interesting difference is in MO it’s a constitutional amendment. Same way weed was legalized.

    That is not to say they won’t do everything in their power to circumvent it (they will. The MO state government may be one of the most authoritarian and least representative in the country), but there’s a lot more roadblocks in the way in MO than KS.

    • Atom@lemmy.world
      11·
      17 days ago

      It is in the KS constitution as well. I didn’t word it properly, but it was protected in section 1 of the KS constitution. The ballot measure in 2022 was to get rid of that constitutional right. That ballot measure failed, maintaining the constitutional right to personal healthcare decisions and abortion access.

      *“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” is the direct wording from their constitution that has been affirmed several times in the state courts to include abortion access

      • skulblaka@sh.itjust.works
        3·
        16 days ago

        Just the fact that “we would like to remove the personal right to making your own healthcare decisions” is a legitimate platform is buck wild insane to me. If you got cancer would you support the government telling you that you legally are not allowed to receive medical treatment for that cancer? Oh, no you wouldn’t like that? Then how the fuck is this any different?

        People who look at this and still fall for the “small government” lies baffle me.