Cole County judge approves ballot language for anti-abortion question
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Cole County judge has approved the ballot language for a summary of a constitutional amendment that would limit abortion access across the state.
Judge Daniel Green had twice refused Secretary of State Denny Hoskins’ attempt to write the language for Amendment 3. The most recent rejection occurred on Oct. 1 and Hoskins — a Republican who is staunchly against abortion — was given five days to submit a revised summary.
“The Court therefore certifies the Second Revised Summary Statement and the Second Revised Fair Ballot Language Statement to the Secretary of State. See § 116.190.4(2)(c). The Secretary is ordered to include the Second Revised Summary Statement on the ballot,” a new judgement entered on Tuesday by Green says.
The ballot language now reads:
A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to guarantee women’s medical care for medical emergencies, ectopic pregnancies, and miscarriages; authorize laws to regulate abortion providers and facilities to ensure health and safety; require informed and voluntary consent for an abortion, including parental or judicial consent for minors; repeal Article I, Section 36, approved in 2024, and allow abortions in cases of medical emergency, fetal anomaly, rape, or incest, with a twelve-week gestational limit for rape or incest; require physicians to provide medically accurate information; prohibit public funding of abortions except in limited circumstances; and protect children from sex-change by prohibiting certain medical procedures and medications for minors, with exceptions for specific medical conditions.
A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to guarantee women’s medical care for emergencies, ectopic pregnancies, and miscarriages, require parental consent for minors’ abortions, require health and safety standards for abortions, limit abortion to cases of medical emergency, fetal anomaly, rape, or incest, or to protect children from sex-change.
If passed, this measure will not increase or decrease taxes.
“Despite three attempts, the state’s ballot summary still fails to give voters a clear and honest understanding that Amendment 3 would end Missourians’ fundamental right to reproductive freedom, a right we approved just last November. The ACLU of Missouri will appeal the certified language for both the ballot summary and the “fair ballot language” along with the violation of the state’s single subject clause,” Tori Schafer, Director of Policy and Campaigns at the ACLU of Missouri, wrote in a statement.
Hoskins in a press release viewed the ruling as a “victory.”
“This ruling is a victory for both the law and for Missouri voters,” Hoskins said in a release. “Senate Bill 22 is working exactly as intended. The new process ensures that constitutional and statutory ballot language is fair, sufficient, and lawful—and that Missourians can vote their values without out-of-state interests manipulating the process or misleading the public. Today’s decision confirms that our office is following the law and protecting the integrity of Missouri’s ballot.”