A coalition of reproductive rights advocates has successfully cleared a significant hurdle in their efforts to secure abortion access in Missouri. They have submitted the necessary number of valid signatures to state officials, paving the way for a proposed amendment to be included on the ballot this year.
Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the leading group behind the ballot effort, has announced that they have gathered signatures from over 380,000 registered voters. This is well above the required threshold of approximately 172,000 signatures needed to progress with the proposal qualification process for the ballot.
The group had to submit the signatures by May 5th.
The state constitution would be amended to include language that safeguards abortion rights until the fetus reaches viability, usually around the 24th week of pregnancy. However, there would be exceptions allowing for abortion after this point if it is necessary to protect the life or health of the mother.
The government is explicitly prohibited from denying or violating an individual’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom, as stated in the amendment. This right encompasses all decisions pertaining to reproductive healthcare, including birth control, abortion care, and miscarriage care, up until the point of fetal viability.
According to the proposal, any act of denying, interfering, delaying, or restricting access to such care would be considered invalid.
The government can regulate abortion after a certain point, except when a healthcare professional determines that the mother’s life, physical health, or mental health is at risk.
Lawmakers and state officials would be given the authority to impose restrictions or limitations on abortion rights under the proposed amendment. These restrictions would only be permissible if they serve the purpose of enhancing or preserving the health of individuals seeking care. Additionally, these restrictions must align with established clinical standards and evidence-based medical practices, while still respecting the autonomy of the person making the decision.
Missouri currently enforces one of the most stringent abortion bans in the U.S., allowing exceptions only for cases where the life of the mother is at risk or in medical emergencies. The passing of this amendment would essentially negate the existing law.
The ballot measure effort is expected to encounter legal challenges in the upcoming weeks and months. Republicans who oppose abortion rights, including Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, have been engaged in a legal battle against the coalition for several months.
Missourians for Constitutional Freedom submitted 11 proposed amendments to state officials last year. However, since March, Ashcroft has raised legal objections to the group’s proposed ballot language in several of these measures.
Once the coalition emerged victorious from those lawsuits, it gained the authority to choose which of the proposed measures to move forward with for the signature-collecting phase.
It is still not clear whether the amendment will be included on the primary or general election ballot.
Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, holds the exclusive authority under state law to determine the ballot on which the measure will be placed. He has the option to place the proposed amendment either on the primary ballot on August 6 or the general election ballot on November 5.
In Missouri, along with 10 other states, there is a push to secure abortion rights in state constitutions through grassroots movements. Citizen-led ballot initiatives are underway in Maryland, New York, and Florida, with the measures already officially on the ballot.
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