The Missouri Supreme Court declined demands that it “follow the law” when it ruled on Tuesday that a proposed amendment hoping to legalize abortion through all nine months of pregnancy could stay on the November ballot despite questions about its constitutionality.
The high bench’s decision reverses a ruling from Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh, who found last week that the petition to put abortion through birth in front of voters did not meet the disclaimer mandates outlined by Missouri law.
“By a majority vote of this Court, the circuit court’s judgment is reversed. Respondent John R. Ashcroft shall certify to local election authorities that Amendment 3 be placed on the November 5, 2024, general election ballot and shall take all steps necessary to ensure that it is on said ballot,” the court’s ruling said.
The proposed amendment seeks to permanently permit abortion in the Show-Me State, which currently bars abortions “except in cases of medical emergency,” by adding a “right to reproductive freedom” to the state constitution.
The ballot measure’s deliberately vague language not only promises that anyone will “make and carry out decisions about all matters” concerning “reproductive healthcare,” but also would prohibit legislators from enacting or enforcing protections for women and unborn babies.
The abortion activists responsible for coordinating the wave of ballot measure battles in red states like Missouri often pursue legal challenges that capitalize on the undefined language in these amendments to specifically target parental consent and abortion reporting laws.
Limbaugh agreed with the pro-life legislators
