Last year, Amendment 3 legalized abortion in the state of Missouri. This year, Republicans in the Missouri legislature have mounted a persistent effort to change the law once more.
A hearing Wednesday was the most recent in a series of attempts. The Republicans in the House Children and Families committee rushed a resolution to the floor late Wednesday night.
The resolution was heard for the first time, and on the same day, voted on in committee, with limited public testimony.
The committee chair, Rep. Holly Jones (R-Eureka), set the rules for a session to make the hearing 10 two-minute testimonials, five for each side. Normally, there is no such limit.
That didn’t play well with the people in the room, most of whom were adorned in purple to show they support Missouri Abortion Action, an abortion rights advocacy group that rallied last year to boost support for Amendment 3. Attendance was high, and an overflow room was opened due to a lack of seats.
Rep. Brian Seitz (R-Branson) said he believes the changes in the bill would more accurately reflect what Missourians believed they were casting votes for in November.
“What we’re doing with this legislation is what we think is the original intent of the voter,” Seitz said.
Amendment 3 makes abortions legal before fetal viability, which is typically around the 24th week of pregnancy. The resolution approved by state lawmakers Wednesday cuts that time in half, restricting abortion to the 12th week of pregnancy or before. It also says abortions would only be allowed in cases of incest, rape or when the health of the mother is threatened. It also changes language about who can perform an abortion from “medical practitioner” to a physician. If the bill eventually passes, voters would have to go back to the polls to approve its language.
Also in the resolution is a provision that puts into the state constitution a prohibition on gender affirming care for minors.
Rep. Ken Jamison (D-Gladstone) pressed the bill sponsor on the details of this provision. He said he was doing this to create a legal record to challenge the resolution in court based on the Missouri constitution's “single topic” clause. It states that referenda can go to voters if a single vote could be about more than one topic.
After the lawmakers had their time, members of the public were allowed to put their opinions on the record. A line of purple-clothed opposition formed. As the line progressed , there were momentary outbursts. Some in opposition started to give speeches, but a word from the chair would quiet them.
That was until an Abortion Action leader took the mic, refused to yield, and led the Missouri Abortion Action members in protest. When Jones couldn’t wrangle control, she had the doormen clear the room of anyone in purple.
Those removed chanted, “This is our house” as they were escorted out.
Rep. Pattie Mansur (D-Kansas City) noted that those in favor of the resolution were allowed to stay. With tears in her eyes, Rep. Marlene Terry (D-St. Louis) said that she would not be voting on the resolution.
“I have not eaten all day, I’m hungry and I don’t care,” Terry said. “I would have sat here until the next morning to hear what they had to say.”
Jones said she limited comments because there had been a 5-hour session on the same topic earlier in the year, and she didn’t want to belabor the point.
The bill passed the committee and now goes to the House floor.
