Missouri voters approved a ballot measure enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution, NBC News projects, effectively overturning the state’s near-abortion ban and handing a victory to abortion rights activists.
The amendment, which requires a simple majority vote, removes the state’s ban on abortion and preserves abortion rights up to the 24th week of pregnancy, and thereafter to protect the life or health of the woman.
The ballot measure also allows regulation of reproductive health care to “improve or maintain” a patient’s health and requires the government not to discriminate against people who “provide or receive” reproductive health care. according to the language of the ballot.
In 2022, the US Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. After overturning the Wade case, Missouri banned nearly all abortions, ending a national right to abortion and returning legal questions surrounding the procedure to the states. The state’s current law is considered one of the strictest in the country, although it makes exceptions to protect the mother’s life and for emergency medical care.
Amendment 3 appeared on the Missouri ballot after enduring legal challenges. In early September the judge of the district court issued a decision that the campaign did not meet the legal requirements to qualify for the ballot. But the state Supreme Court soon got involved. set aside this judgment and clearing the way for the amendment to go before voters.
Missouri joins a number of red states where voters have moved to expand abortion rights after state legislatures passed bans following the 2022 Dobbs decision.
Nine other states Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York and South Dakota have all considered constitutional amendments related to abortion rights in these elections.