Missouri abortion battle brewing as state marks 2 years since Dobbs decision

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - On the two-year mark since the overturning of the Roe versus Wade decision, advocates on either side of the perennial abortion rights debate in Missouri are gearing up for a political showdown in November.

The Missouri Secretary of State’s office, as of this article’s publication, is in the process of signature verification on an abortion rights referendum. If that office concludes enough valid signatures were collected, Missouri voters will decide whether to enshrine reproductive rights into the state’s constitution.

On Monday, anti-abortion demonstrators staged a rally at the Missouri State Capitol, with the event titled, “A Celebration of Life: Praise on the anniversary of the overturn of Roe v. Wade and Prayer to ‘Keep Missouri Pro-Life.’”

The rally was organized by Missouri Right to Life.

“The issue has come back now to the state,” said Susan Klein, the organization’s executive director. “Missouri is a very pro-life state. We worked very hard to make sure that people know the truth, that what we’re trying to do is give women what they need to carry their baby to term, and also to make sure that we protect unborn babies.”

Within the same hour, abortion rights activists rallied on the front steps of the Capitol, urging voters to support the referendum with a message of individual freedom.

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“While we were collecting signatures, we did get mostly supportive folks, even people who might normally vote Republican or vote Libertarian or along those lines,” said Jennifer McGuire, a member of Lincoln County Reproductive Rights Advocates. “Though, a lot of those folks we found, they were like, ‘Hey, that’s not right. You should still be able to choose this for yourself. It’s not our business.’”

Activists spent months, gathering more than a quarter million signatures to place a question on the ballot for the prohibition’s end.

“Every day, we hear stories of Missourians denied abortions, those forced to let their health deteriorate before being able to get care, people scared to go to the doctor’s office, or trying to find resources to flee the state,” said Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri. “Yet, I am hopeful because it’s been just months since the launch of the Missourians for Constitutional Freedom Campaign to end the abortion ban and enshrine a broad right to reproductive freedom into our state constitution, and every day more Missourians join the movement.”

The ballot initiative was mainly organized by a political action committee called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom.

“Right now, Missourians continue to live under that cruel ban with no exceptions, even for survivors of rape or incest,” said Rachel Sweet, the group’s campaign manager. “Women experiencing devastating pregnancy complications are being denied the care they need.”

The Missouri Democratic Party also released a statement through chairman Russ Carnahan.

“Over this year’s state legislative session, Republicans have reaffirmed their commitment to cruelty, voting against allowing abortion exceptions in cases of rape or incest and against protecting contraceptives and IVF services,” Carnahan said. “These are deeply private issues around decisions that should be made amongst family and medical professionals, not politicians in Jefferson City.”

Pending signature verification, the abortion rights question will appear on the Nov. 5 statewide ballot in Missouri.

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