In November 2024, Missouri voters approved Amendment 3, legalizing abortion with over 51% support. This decision came after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. However, six months later, Republican lawmakers are attempting to repeal this amendment and restrict abortion rights to cases of medical emergencies, rape, or incest. On May 14, 2025, Missouri Senate Republicans invoked a procedural rule to fast-track a vote on the repeal, which has now passed and could appear on the November 2026 ballot or sooner if a special election is called by Governor Mike Kehoe.
Planned Parenthood’s Margot Riphagen has criticized these political maneuvers, stating that Missourians deserve to make their own healthcare decisions without politicians’ interference. Currently, three Planned Parenthood clinics in Missouri provide surgical abortions up to 12 weeks, while medication abortion is largely inaccessible due to state health department rejections of operational plans.
House Joint Resolution HJR 73, if approved, would impose strict limitations on abortion and also target gender affirming care for minors, prohibiting hormone therapies and surgeries. Senator Nick Schroer indicated that including provisions related to gender affirming care was critical for Republican support. LGBTQIA+ advocates, like PROMO Missouri’s Katy Erker-Lynch, have voiced strong opposition to these measures, framing them as an attempt to erase rights and freedoms.
As political tensions rise around reproductive rights and gender issues, Missouri’s landscape continues to evolve rapidly, with implications for those seeking healthcare both in-state and out-of-state.
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