June 12, 2025
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 and 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 passed the proposed abortion-rights revision by a 21-11 vote. The measure passed the Republican-led House last month.
Immediately after the vote, pro-choice protestors erupted with chants of “Stop the ban!” and were ushered out of the Senate chamber.
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.”
Missouri's abortion policies have swung dramatically in recent years.
When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, it triggered a Missouri law to take effect banning most abortions. But pro-choice 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 chemical 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 are already 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.
