Abortion Initiative Hits November Ballot in Missouri Amid Rising Pro-Abortion Campaigns

Pro-abortion activists in Missouri have succeeded in getting a proposal on the November ballot that would make abortion a constitutional right in the state. The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office confirmed on Tuesday that the initiative, along with three other citizen-led proposals, will appear on the general election ballot this fall, according to a report from the Missouri Independent.

Missouri, a state with a near-total abortion ban since the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, now faces a critical vote that could reverse its pro-life stance. The state became the first in the nation to outlaw abortion following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision. Under current Missouri law, doctors who perform abortions that are not deemed necessary could face up to 15 years in prison.

If passed, the proposed constitutional amendment would allow abortions up until the point of viability, typically around 24 weeks. However, advancements in medical technology have made it possible for unborn babies to survive outside the womb earlier than 24 weeks, complicating the debate over what constitutes viability.

Pro-life advocates warn that the amendment would make Missouri’s abortion laws as permissive as those in states like California. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America Midwestern Regional Director Sue Liebel criticized the initiative, stating, “The abortion lobby’s ballot measure would end thousands of lives. Unborn children who have heartbeats, feel pain, suck their thumbs, smile and even survive outside of the womb will no longer be protected in Missouri if this extreme measure passes.”

Liebel also raised concerns about the lack of regulation in the proposed amendment, arguing that it would give the abortion industry free rein to operate without state oversight. “With Missouri Planned Parenthood businesses’ record of breaking the law, women and girls will be at risk if the state’s abortion industry goes unregulated,” she added, citing past violations by Planned Parenthood in Missouri, including the use of unsanitary equipment and failure to report complications.

Earlier this year, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sued Planned Parenthood following an undercover video by Project Veritas that appeared to show staff at a Kansas City facility willing to help a minor obtain an abortion without parental consent.

Missouri is not alone in facing a potential shift on abortion rights. Arizona, a key battleground state, confirmed just a day earlier that a similar proposal to make abortion a “fundamental right” will appear on its November ballot. Arizona’s move follows the state legislature’s repeal of a near-total abortion ban in May, a response to an Arizona Supreme Court ruling that an old law banning abortions could be enforced.

Democrats are betting on these abortion initiatives to galvanize voters and secure electoral victories in November, following successful pro-abortion campaigns in other Republican-led states in the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision.

As the November election approaches, the stakes are high, and the outcome of these ballot measures could reshape the political landscape in traditionally conservative states like Missouri.

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