Missouri’s near-total abortion ban, which was initially enforced via a trigger law following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, could be reinstated if a new constitutional amendment passes. The GOP-controlled Missouri Senate approved the amendment on Thursday, which would repeal the 2024 citizen-driven ballot measure, Amendment 3, that had previously enshrined abortion protections in the state’s constitution. Democrats attempted to block the measure through a filibuster, but Republicans used procedural rules to bypass the effort. The amendment, which passed the state House earlier this year, is set for the 2026 general election unless the governor calls for a special session. If enacted, it would allow for the return of Missouri’s post-Roe ban, which only permitted abortions when the mother’s life was at risk. Critics argue the move undermines the will of voters who supported abortion protections last year.
Missouri Votes on Abortion Ban Reinstatement Amid Pro-Choice Pushback
Missouri’s near-total abortion ban could return if a new ballot measure passed by the GOP-controlled legislature gains voter approval. The proposed constitutional amendment would repeal a 2024 amendment that enshrined abortion protections, allowing for the reinstatement of Missouri’s trigger law, which previously criminalized all abortions except in life-threatening cases.
Voters could soon decide to reinstate Missouri’s near-total abortion ban following the state legislature’s passage of a constitutional amendment. The GOP-controlled Missouri Senate passed a proposed constitutional amendment Thursday, which would repeal an earlier constitutional amendment passed by voters last year that enshrined abortion protections in the state’s constitution. Democrats sought to filibuster the move Wednesday, but Republicans used procedural rules to get around it, according to The Associated Press.
The proposed amendment, which passed in Missouri’s GOP-controlled House last month, would go on the state’s ballots in Missouri’s 2026 general election. However, the amendment could be voted on sooner if Missouri’s Republican governor chooses to call a special election on the issue.