Missouri lawmakers approve referendum to repeal abortion-rights amendment

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — 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 an 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 used a series of rare procedural moves to cut off discussion by opposing Democrats before passing the proposed abortion-rights revision by a 21-11 vote. The measure passed the Republican-led House last month.

Immediately after the vote, protestors erupted with chants of ''Stop the ban!'' and were ushered out of the Senate chamber.

The Senate then blocked further Democratic debate and gave final approval to a separate measure repealing provisions of a voter-approved law guaranteeing paid sick leave for workers and cost-of-living increases to the minimum wage. That measure does not go back to the ballot. It will instead become law when signed by Kehoe, who has expressed his support for it.

After taking the sweeping votes, the Senate effectively ended its annual legislative session — two days ahead of a constitutional deadline to wrap up work.

Democrats were outraged by the legislative actions and vowed to retaliate by slowing down any Senate work next year.

''Our rights are under attack,'' Democratic state Sen. Brian Williams said during debate. He accused Republicans of ''trying to overturn the will of the voters.''

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.''

Some GOP lawmakers said they needed to repeal the paid sick leave requirement, which kicked in May 1, because it's adding costs that threaten the financial viability of small businesses. Republicans had been negotiating with Democrats over an alternative to exempt only the smallest businesses before scrapping that and opting for the full repeal.

Missouri lawmakers have a history of altering voter-approved policies. They previously tried to block funding for a voter-approved Medicaid expansion and authored changes to voter-approved measures regulating dog breeders and legislative redistricting.

Missouri's abortion policies have swung dramatically in recent years.

When the U.S. Supreme Court ended a nationwide right to abortion by overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, it triggered a Missouri law to take effect banning most abortions. But abortion-rights 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 medication 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 already are 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.

Democratic state Sen. Tracy McCreery called the measure ''an attempt to mislead and lie to the voters,'' echoing similar accusations that Republicans had made against the original Amendment 3.

An abortion-rights coalition that includes Planned Parenthood affiliates, the American Civil Liberties Union and others planned a rally Thursday at the Missouri Capitol and vowed a vigorous campaign against the measure.

''Abortion rights won in this state six months ago, and mark my words: Missourians will protect reproductive freedom again,'' said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes.