Missouri Republicans ‘literally rewriting the rules’ to undo abortion protections in desperate power grab

The Missouri Senate’s late-night approval of a referendum aimed at overturning Amendment 3, a citizen-led measure that secured abortion protections in the state constitution, has sparked intense backlash. This move represents a major escalation in the ongoing fight over reproductive rights in the state, showing how lawmakers are increasingly willing to directly oppose the voters’ decision and the Republican party on this highly divisive issue.

As reported by The Washington Post, Amendment 3 was ed just six months ago by a close margin of 52 percent to 48 percent. It guaranteed the right to make reproductive healthcare decisions, including abortion, up until fetal viability (around 24 weeks). This came after a time when Missouri law only allowed abortions to save the mother’s life, with no exceptions for rape or incest. However, the Republican-controlled legislature quickly moved to reverse this outcome by approving the new referendum.

The ACLU of Missouri said in a statement that, “Missourians proved by ing Amendment 3 at the ballot box [that] people want access to abortion care… literally rewriting the rules… in an attempt to reinstate Missouri’s total abortion ban.” The way the referendum was ed was itself controversial. Republican senators used procedural tactics to cut short debate and ultimately pushed the measure through with a 21-11 vote.

Republicans trying to take down abortion approvals

The speed of the decision in the final week of the legislative session left almost no time for public input and led to accusations that lawmakers were seizing power. CBS reported on protests breaking out outside the Senate chamber, with demonstrators shouting, “Stop the ban!”

The proposed amendment would severely limit abortion access. While it would allow abortions in cases of medical emergencies, rape, and incest, it would set a strict 12-week limit for the latter two exceptions and require that the crime be reported to law enforcement before the procedure could take place. The amendment would also block public funding for abortions and explicitly ban gender-affirming care for minors.

Republicans have described the previous amendment as a choice between two extremes: a total abortion ban and the much more lenient Amendment 3. They argue that a ban with exceptions for rape and incest would be more acceptable to voters. However, abortion rights ers have strongly rejected this argument, saying the legislature’s actions ignore the 1.5 million Missourians who voted in favor of Amendment 3.

It’s not hard to see why they voted this way, in South Carolina, a woman was forced to carry dead fetus for 4 weeks due to their ban. The ACLU of Missouri released a statement condemning the legislature’s move, stressing that voters had clearly shown their for abortion access. The group accused lawmakers of trying to bring back Missouri’s near-total abortion ban.

Mallory Schwarz, the executive director of Abortion Action Missouri, agreed, saying the referendum shows a lack of respect for the people’s will. On the other hand, Rep. Brian Seitz, a leading er of the legislative effort, argued that the new proposal gives Missourians a more moderate option that fits their values, claiming the previous choices were too extreme.

If ed, the referendum would have a major impact on abortion access in Missouri. While surgical abortions have started again at Planned Parenthood clinics, legal disputes continue over medication abortion, which is now the more common method. The new amendment would likely worsen these legal fights and make abortion much harder to access for many people in the state.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, many states have imposed strict abortion laws. While some states have seen voters ballot measures protecting abortion rights, others, including Missouri, have faced legislative efforts to undo those victories.