Abortion Ban Referendum Approved by Missouri GOP Lawmakers \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Six months after Missouri voters approved abortion rights, Republican lawmakers passed a new referendum to repeal the amendment and ban most abortions. The proposal, which includes exceptions for rape, incest, and medical emergencies, will go back to voters in 2026 or earlier. Democrats and abortion-rights advocates condemned the move as a direct attack on voter-approved protections.
Quick Looks
- Missouri GOP lawmakers pass referendum to repeal abortion-rights amendment.
- The new measure allows limited exceptions: rape, incest, emergencies.
- Protesters disrupted Senate vote chanting “Stop the ban!”
- The ballot initiative could appear in November 2026 or sooner.
- Democrats accuse Republicans of overriding the will of voters.
- Republicans say they’re giving voters a “second chance.”
- Amendment 3 guaranteed abortion rights until fetal viability.
- The GOP-led Senate also repealed paid sick leave and minimum wage hikes.
- Governor Mike Kehoe supports the repeal and could call a special election.
- New proposal also bans gender-affirming care for minors.
- Missouri has a history of undoing voter-approved laws.
- Planned Parenthood, ACLU vow to fight the repeal campaign.
Deep Look
Missouri Republicans Approve New Abortion Ban Ballot Measure Aimed at Repealing Voter-Backed Rights Amendment
Just six months after Missouri voters enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution, Republican lawmakers have approved a controversial new referendum that seeks to reverse that decision and impose one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country.
The measure passed the GOP-controlled Missouri Senate on Wednesday by a 21-11 vote following a heated session in which Republican senators used rare procedural tactics to silence Democratic opposition. Protesters erupted with chants of “Stop the ban!” moments after the vote, forcing a temporary halt to proceedings as they were escorted out of the chamber.
The referendum would repeal the recently approved Amendment 3 and replace it with a near-total abortion ban that includes exceptions only for rape, incest, medical emergencies, or fetal anomalies — and only up to 12 weeks of pregnancy in those cases. It also includes a statewide ban on gender-affirming care for minors, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgery — echoing a policy already on the books in Missouri.
If Republican Governor Mike Kehoe does not call a special election earlier, the new referendum will appear on the statewide ballot in November 2026.
Democrats: GOP Is Overriding the Will of the Voters
Democrats in the state Senate were furious, accusing Republicans of deliberately undermining the will of Missouri voters. Amendment 3 passed in November 2023, establishing a constitutional right to abortion until fetal viability, and legal protections for reproductive freedom, including access to birth control, prenatal and postpartum care, and “respectful birthing conditions.”
“This is a direct assault on our rights,” said Democratic Sen. Brian Williams. “Missourians voted for reproductive freedom. Now Republicans are trying to tear that away.”
Sen. Tracy McCreery echoed that sentiment, calling the GOP referendum “an attempt to mislead and lie to voters,” noting that the new ballot title doesn’t explicitly state it would repeal Amendment 3. Instead, it emphasizes language about “women’s safety,” parental consent, and protecting children from gender transitions — language that abortion-rights advocates say is intended to confuse the electorate.
GOP Says Voters Deserve a ‘Second Chance’
Republicans argue they are honoring voters by allowing them to reconsider the issue under a new proposal that includes rape and incest exceptions — a key point that wasn’t addressed in Missouri’s pre-Roe abortion ban triggered in 2022.
“Abortion is the greatest tragedy in the world right now,” said Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman. “If someone’s okay with taking the life of an innocent, then probably you can justify anything.”
Republicans also claim the original ballot language of Amendment 3 was misleading and painted abortion protections too broadly. Their new measure, they argue, is more balanced and aligned with what polling shows: that while most Missourians oppose unrestricted abortion, many support access in cases of rape, incest, or emergencies.
Repeal of Paid Sick Leave Also Approved
In addition to the abortion referendum, the Senate finalized legislation repealing elements of a separate voter-approved initiative that expanded paid sick leave and adjusted the state’s minimum wage with annual cost-of-living increases. That measure, unlike the abortion referendum, does not require another vote — it will become law once signed by Gov. Kehoe, who has publicly supported the rollback.
Republicans claimed the new labor mandates placed undue financial pressure on small businesses. Earlier attempts to exempt the smallest businesses from the law fell apart, leading to a full repeal.
A Pattern of Reversing Voter Initiatives
The moves are the latest in a pattern of Missouri lawmakers altering or repealing citizen-backed initiatives. Legislators have previously challenged Medicaid expansion, animal welfare reforms, and redistricting measures approved at the ballot box.
Critics argue this behavior undermines democratic participation and turns citizen-initiated measures into temporary laws subject to partisan repeal.
A Shifting Legal Landscape on Abortion
Missouri was among the first states to enact a full abortion ban following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. That law banned nearly all abortions and offered no exceptions for rape or incest, triggering backlash that helped fuel the abortion-rights ballot initiative.
In November 2023, voters narrowly passed Amendment 3, restoring access to abortion until fetal viability — typically around 21 to 24 weeks — and allowing later procedures if a woman’s life or health was at risk.
Currently, surgical abortions are being performed in limited circumstances, while medication abortions remain stalled amid legal disputes between Planned Parenthood and the state.
What’s Next: A Political Fight Two Years in the Making
Missouri abortion-rights advocates, including Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, announced a rally at the Capitol and promised a major campaign to defeat the new referendum.
“Abortion rights won in this state six months ago,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes. “Mark my words: Missourians will protect reproductive freedom again.”
Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, believe time — and emotion — may change public sentiment in their favor. With more than two years before the vote, both sides are preparing for a fierce and high-stakes battle over the future of reproductive rights and bodily autonomy in Missouri.
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