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The endless battle between politicians going against the opinion of their people’s vote, and how they are trying to stop the people’s vote in August.

Medication abortion will become available again in Missouri for the first time since 2018. A Jackson County Judge struck down in a ruling on Thursday that resolves many of Missouri’s abortion regulations. One regulation was a 72-hour waiting period between an initial consultation and an abortion, which had been unenforceable for several months, and is now permanently unenforceable.

Two laws still upheld in Missouri include a requirement that patients meet with a doctor in person before being prescribed medication abortion, as well as the requirement that only physicians are allowed to perform abortions.

While this was an impressive ruling in the courts, it was the people of Missouri in 2024 who voted for the passing of Constitutional Amendment 3, protecting the right to abortion up to the point of fetal viability, that should be the priority of politicians, since it was their people who voted for what they wanted.

Planned Parenthood has confirmed that they will be offering medication abortion appointments starting next week.

However, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has decided she is not interested in listening to the people’s vote in 2024 or Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang’s decision, and is planning to appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court. Hanaway calls it “a radical decision,” and is concerned that women won’t get the care they are “entitled” to.

The laws declared unconstitutional by Judge Zhang include:

Special Licensing requirements for abortion providers

A ban on telemedicine that requires a physician to be present when a patient takes abortion medication

Hospital admitting privileges for physicians performing abortions.

A requirement for physicians prescribing medication abortions to have a state-approved complication plan.

That medication abortion providers carry insurance covering physicians after they leave employment.

Tissue removed during a surgical abortion is to be sent to a pathologist.

That patients given material created by the State Department of Health and Senior Services, including a pamphlet that reads “The life of each human being begins at conception. Abortion will terminate the life of a separate, unique, living human being.”

In 2022, Missouri became the first state to ban nearly all abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

In 2024, Missouri also became the first state to overturn an abortion ban by the vote of the people, though it hasn’t really been free for any of us, has it?

Now, how will this tie into August 4th’s election? Amendment 4 is on the ballot.

Right now, under Amendment 4, Missourians can approve petitions on a statewide level. If passed, it would change how citizen-led constitutional amendments are approved in Missouri by requiring them to receive support from a majority of voters in each congressional district, not just a statewide majority.

So what does that mean? If, for example, District 6 of Missouri voted against a petition to legalize abortion, then the whole state of Missouri would not get that petition. If Amendment 5 is passed, the Amendment to phase out the income tax, the population would have to get FULL district approval from the entire state to be able to bring income tax back if they decide they don’t like the decision.

Amendment 3 was passed in 2024 by a statewide majority. If Amendment 4 is passed, one district could ban abortion for the entire population of Missouri.

Amendment 4 AND Amendment 5 were intentionally placed on the August Ballot instead of the November Ballot because Missouri voter turnout is low during August elections. With those low turnouts, the hope was that people who want these to go into effect would be more likely to vote.

In November, Amendment 3 is on the ballot once again. If voted yes, the population of Missouri supports repealing the vote from 2024, legalizing abortion up to viability, and prohibiting abortion except in cases of “medical emergency, fetal anomaly, rape, or incest,” and permitting abortions in cases of rape or incest only through 12 weeks of gestation. It will also prohibit gender transition surgeries for minors, as well as the prescription or administration of cross-sex hormones or puberty blocking drugs to minors, with an exception for treatments “unrelated to the purpose of gender transition,” and make other changes. It would also require parental consent for a minor to get an abortion, but would provide for the ability of a woman to access healthcare in cases of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.

This Amendment was put on the ballot again by State Representative Ed Lewis, who represents Macon County and Randolph County, and was the one to introduce it as House Joint Resolution 73.

The Missouri Politicians have put four amendments on our ballot in August, and more to come in November, such as Amendment 3. The population of Missouri needs to vote this midterm year, as things in office are changing fast with our Senators, Representatives, and Governor leading the march.