Friday night, Judge Limbaugh of the Cole County District Court issued a decision that would remove Amendment 3, the ballot measure to end Missouri’s cruel, near-total abortion ban from the November ballot. Sunday night, the ballot measure campaign, Missourians for Constitutional Freedom filed an emergency appeal to challenge this ruling and remain confident that Amendment 3 will appear on Missourians' ballots this November. On Sep 10th, the Missouri Supreme Court will hear oral arguments from both sides- the same day ballots are due to be printed.

“After the Trump-appointed Supreme Court justices cast the deciding votes to overturn Roe, Missouri was the first state to effectively make every abortion illegal, due to a Republican trigger law. Since that day in June 2022, we have heard countless horrific stories of pregnant women across the country denied lifesaving care and doctors threatened with prosecution for doing their jobs,” St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones said. 

“We have watched Missouri Republicans fight tooth-and-nail to override the will of at least 380,000 Missourians who signed the petition to restore life-saving rights to care and keep Amendment 3 off of our ballot this November, and this last-minute attack is no different and will fail. Taking away Missouri voters’ opportunity to weigh in on a duly certified measure is a gross overreach and misuse of power in an era marred by public mistrust of government. A judicial branch invalidation of Missouri citizens’ efforts would be the latest attack of a well-established pattern by the Missouri GOP to undermine or completely ignore the will of Missouri voters and they will pay for that audacity in November.” 

Background: 

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones is a history-maker on a mission. Jones previously served two terms in the Missouri House of Representatives and was selected as the first African American woman in Missouri history to hold the position of Assistant Minority Floor Leader. Mayor Jones was also the first African American woman elected to serve as Treasurer of St. Louis from 2013-2021.

(WATCH) NBC News: Record-Breaking Filibuster By Missouri Lawmakers

Kansas City Star: Missouri Senate Democrats Force Negotiations On Plan To Weaken Direct Democracy

Missouri Independent: 50-Hour Filibuster Forces More Negotiations On GOP-Backed Initiative Petition Changes

(LISTEN) The Down Ballot: Missouri Dems Filibuster GOP Into Submission

Springfield News-Leader:

“Missouri was the first state to trigger a near-total abortion ban in 2022 when Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Abortions are only allowed in extreme cases to save the life of the mother, but doctors are still hesitant to perform abortions due to the strict legal liability associated with doing so in the state.” 

“Following the launch of the campaign to restore abortion rights with the least restrictions, members of the Freedom Caucus engaged in a filibuster to force Senate leaders to bring the initiative petition legislation to a floor debate, citing the abortion measure as a cause for immediate action.”

Kansas City Star:

“Missouri Republicans have for years attacked the state’s initiative petition process, which has been utilized by voters of both parties to bypass the General Assembly and put measures to a statewide vote. The criticism comes as voters have in recent years passed several progressive policies, including marijuana legalization and Medicaid expansion. Republicans argue that the current process has allowed outside interest groups to influence elections. But this year, as a coalition of abortion rights groups embark on a campaign to put abortion rights on the ballot through an initiative petition, Republicans have doubled down on the effort.” 

Missouri Independent: Democrat Filibuster Forces Removal Of ‘Ballot Candy’ From Senate Initiative Petition Bill.