JEFFERSON CITY — Republicans in charge of the Missouri Senate pushed forward Monday evening with a response to last year’s Amendment 3, opening debate on a new ballot question to repeal it.
But the Senate paused debate in a little over two hours and adjourned for the night after Democrats began holding the floor and blocking a vote on the bill.
The legislative session is scheduled to end Friday, so time is running short for Republicans to bring the measure up later this week and send it to voters.
The Senate sponsor of the measure, Sen. Adam Schnelting, R-St. Charles, expressed confidence Tuesday morning that Senate leadership is on board with pushing the measure again before the end of session.
“Leadership themselves feel strongly about this issue, but so does the caucus so yes, it’s a priority for them,†Schnelting said.
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Nearly 52% of voters supported Amendment 3 last fall, which protects the right to abortion up to fetal viability. But Republicans argued Amendment 3 goes too far and said Missourians were deceived through a misleading campaign funded by out-of-state interests.
Sen. Adam Schnelting, R-St. Charles, testified for his legislation, Senate Bill 76, on Feb. 11, 2025, at of the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee.Â
“Most Missourians do not want abortion on demand,†Schnelting said.
But Democrats accused Republicans of deceiving voters.
The new Republican resolution to overturn Amendment 3 lies to people about the current law and includes enticing language on unrelated issues to “trick voters into giving up our rights,†said Sen. Patty Lewis, D-Kansas City.
The Republican-backed constitutional amendment would allow abortion access in rape and incest cases up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, as well as in medical emergencies and in cases of fetal anomalies.
It also would place a ban on hormone therapy, puberty blockers and surgeries for gender transition for minors in the state constitution, which Democrats have blasted as “ballot candy†meant to increase voter support.
The measure has already passed the Missouri House. Lawmakers have until 6 p.m. Friday to pass legislation.
Schnelting said Tuesday his door is “always open†for negotiations, there haven’t been significant conversations with Democrats yet.
The current Republican plan makes exceptions for rape and incest cases, something Missouri’s previous abortion ban didn’t allow. That ban went into effect on June 24, 2022, the same day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Missourians overturned the ban last November by approving Amendment 3.
Schnelting said Tuesday there isn’t “a ton of room to move†on this year’s Republican response. The GOP caucus already moved off pushing for a total abortion ban to one with exceptions for rape and incest.
More than 70 abortion rights supporters traveled to the Missouri Capitol on Wednesday to testify against a proposed ban on the procedure. After a House committee limited testimony, the supporters began chanting and were removed from the hearing. The advocates then shared their testimony during an impromptu hearing in the Capitol rotunda.
