abortion ban

Gov. Mike Parson is leaving office in January after more than six and a half years in the job. He spoke about his handling of the COVID pandemic, the abortion ban he signed into law, and his experience working with Republican supermajorities.

A Jackson County judge on Wednesday will hear Planned Parenthood’s attempt to overturn a number of Missouri laws regulating abortion. Meanwhile, several GOP legislators have already filed bills hoping to reinstate an abortion ban.

Dr. Betsy Wickstrom, a high-risk OB-GYN in Kansas City, is a Republican and a Christian but supported last month's abortion-rights amendment. She's concerned about what the future may hold with Missouri lawmakers threatening to overturn some of its protections.

The leader of Planned Parenthood Great Plains says the move is a ploy to prevent a Jackson County judge from potentially knocking down other abortion restrictions. Andrew Bailey says his office will continue to enforce laws requiring parental consent and outlawing coercion.

More than a dozen religious leaders had challenged Missouri's near-total abortion ban in 2023, on the grounds it contained explicitly religious language and violated the state constitution.

Missouri voters last week passed a constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to an abortion. Emily Wales of Planned Parenthood Great Plains explains what abortion access could look like in the state, and what's next for the fight for reproductive rights.

Republican Mike Kehoe, who won the race for Missouri governor this week, acknowledged that some residents were uncomfortable with the state’s near-total abortion ban. He said that lawmakers are still discussing how they'll respond to the passage of Amendment 3.

When it goes into effect in December, Amendment 3 will protect abortion up to what’s known as fetal viability — which is about 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Missourians approved Amendment 3, which would place language in the state constitution legalizing abortion. Abortion rights proponents plan to file lawsuits to strike down the state’s near-total ban.

Hawley and Kunce are running what many consider the most competitive Missouri statewide contest on Tuesday’s ballot. Thursday's debate touched on a wide range of topics, including immigration, gun control, abortion rights and energy.

If adopted by Missouri voters on Nov. 5, Amendment 3 would end the state's near-total abortion ban and would cement the right to reproductive freedom in the constitution. Opponents have criticized the ballot language for being too broad — and in some cases have spread misinformation about it.

Missouri saw a 14% increase in the number of reported abortions among its residents last year compared to 2020, according to a new report, fueled largely by the increase in telehealth-assisted abortions from providers in states where the procedure is protected.