A bill that would limit abortion access in Missouri was sent to the state Senate on Thursday.
House Joint Resolution 73 seeks to ban abortions in Missouri except in cases of medical emergency, fetal anomaly, rape or incest.
If passed in the Missouri Senate, the bill will need the approval of voters in a future election, similar to the process through which Amendment 3 was voted into law in November.
Amendment 3 permits abortions for all pregnancies until the point of fetal viability. This differs from what the resolution proposes, which is that abortions would be permitted until 12 weeks of gestation for the exceptions stated above.
Emily Wales is the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates the Columbia clinic. She says they have been involved in numerous legal battles to restore abortion access to their clinics, despite the passage of Amendment 3 last November.
“It’s been a slog,” Wales said. “You know, we have had to fight at every single step to try to get Missourians access to abortion so that they can realize their new constitutional rights.”
Wales said she is also frustrated with the legislature’s disregard for Missourians’ opinions. Amendment 3 was citizen-initiated legislation, whereas HJR 73 is legislative-initiated.
Despite the legal constraints that Planned Parenthood Great Plains is experiencing, Wales said the organization plans to fight against HJR 73’s passage through the Senate.
“We're going to support the advocates and allies in the Senate who have been trying to make clear that Missourians have already been heard,” Wales said.
Abortion Action Missouri, a state-wide pro-choice advocacy group, has organized protests across the state tomorrow at 11 a.m. in St. Charles, Springfield, Kansas City and Centralia.
The group plans to protest the actions the state legislature is taking against Amendment 3.
