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Up To Date

After Missouri voters enshrined abortion rights into the constitution, what's next?

By Brian Ellison,
Claudia Brancart
Published November 12, 2024 at 3:38 PM CST
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Carlos Moreno
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KCUR 89.3
Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, talks on Up To Date on Nov. 11, 2024 about abortion efforts moving forward in Missouri following the Nov. general election.

Missouri became the first state to overturn a near-total abortion ban through a voter referendum in last week's election. Planned Parenthood Great Plains president Emily Wales says they're ready to resume abortion services by early December, although prolonged legal battles could push that date back.

Voters across Missouri approved Amendment 3 on Nov. 5, enshrining abortion access in the state constitution and ending one of the country's most restrictive bans. Known as the Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative, Amendment 3 was approved with a narrow 52% of the vote.

Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, told KCUR's Up To Date that providers are ready to resume abortion care on Dec. 5, when the amendment takes effect.

“We will restore care as quickly as possible, but we're going to keep talking to Missourians about what's at stake," Wales says. "And at the end of the day, the legislature should respect the will of the people that said, 'just let us get private medical care without government interference.'"

The day after the election, Missouri's two Planned Parenthood providers filed a lawsuit to roll back some of the state's strictest abortion laws. Several Missouri Republicans, including governor-elect Mike Kehoe, have vowed to not let the issue go.

Missouri Republicans will likely try to put another amendment on the ballot to undo the effects of Amendment 3.

Tags
Up To Date PodcastMissouri elections 2024Missouri abortion amendmentBallot Issueabortionreproductive healthReproductive rightslawsuitPlanned ParenthoodMissouri legislatureMissouri constitution
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Brian Ellison
As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
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Claudia Brancart
As a producer for Up To Date, I create sound-rich talk show segments about the individuals and communities that call Kansas City home. Whether it’s a poet, a business owner or a local lawmaker, I seek out diverse voices to help break down the biggest stories of the day. After listening to the show, I want Up To Date listeners to feel informed and empowered to make decisions in their daily lives. You can reach me at claudiab@kcur.org
See stories by Claudia Brancart
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