Missouri House Republicans gave initial approval Tuesday to a proposed constitutional amendment that essentially repeals and replaces the state’s current abortion rights in the constitution.
It would repeal Amendment 3 that voters approved in November. It would make abortion illegal again in Missouri, with limited exceptions for rape, incest and medical emergencies.
Those exceptions, other than medical emergencies, were not applicable under the former abortion ban in Missouri.
In cases of rape and incest, the person seeking an abortion must have it within 12 weeks of becoming pregnant.
The House voted 94-50 to advance Joint House Resolution 73. All but two Republicans voted for it. House Speaker Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, was one of the no votes.
The amendment also gives the legislature the ability to pass laws related to abortion.
“What is voted on by this body will help foster a culture of life in Missouri, one that all of our citizens can support,” said Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson, who presented the bill on the House floor.
Democrats repeatedly slammed the resolution over the roughly four hours the House spent debating.
Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson, said the amendment is not going to lead to the results Republicans want.
“You think you're stopping abortions with these ridiculous bills, you're not. You're stopping safe, legal abortions. People are going to still have abortions,” Proudie said.
Voters approved Amendment 3, which overturned Missouri’s near-total abortion ban, with 51.6% of the vote.
Some Republicans said on the floor that they believe voters were confused on what Amendment 3 did when voting on it.
One of them was Rep. Holly Jones, R-Eureka, whose district voted to approve Amendment 3.
“I believe we try to do our best to protect folks, and I think that that's what House Joint Resolution 73 aims to do. And I think that the people have another crack at this, and their voice will be heard,” Jones said.
House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, said the will of the voters, including their support of Amendment 3, should be more important to legislators than anything else.
“If you think they made a mistake for supporting Amendment 3, how can you think that they didn't make a mistake when they voted for you?” Aune said.
The vote on the amendment was interrupted by protesters. They shouted support for abortion rights before they were escorted out of the chamber.
