Amendment 3: Reproductive Rights

Platte County Democrats Recommend: Vote Yes

Ballot Language

Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:

establish a right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, with any governmental interference of that right presumed invalid;
remove Missouri’s ban on abortion;
allow regulation of reproductive health care to improve or maintain the health of the patient;
require the government not to discriminate, in government programs, funding, and other activities, against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care; and
allow abortion to be restricted or banned after Fetal Viability except to protect the life or health of the woman?

State governmental entities estimate no costs or savings, but unknown impact. Local governmental entities estimate costs of at least $51,000 annually in reduced tax revenues. Opponents estimate a potentially significant loss to state revenue.

Fair Ballot Language

A “yes” vote establishes a constitutional right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, with any governmental interference of that right presumed invalid; removes Missouri’s ban on abortion; allows regulation of reproductive health care to improve or maintain the health of the patient; requires the government not to discriminate, in government programs, funding, and other activities, against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care; and allows abortion to be restricted or banned after Fetal Viability except to protect the life or health of the woman.

A “no” vote will continue the statutory prohibition of abortion in Missouri.

If passed, this measure may reduce local taxes while the impact to state taxes is unknown.

For the full legal description of this ballot measure, see the links posted at Missouri Secretary of State 2024 Ballot Measures.

For a comprehensive read on the pros and cons as well as the history of this amendment, see Ballotpedia.

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom is a statewide coalition of organizations and concerned citizens working to establish the right for all Missourians to make decisions about our own reproductive health care – including abortion, birth control, and miscarriage care – without interference from politicians. See their site, particularly “Missouri Abortion Rights Initiative Petition, Amendment 3, Officially Verified and Set for the November Ballot.”

Read about the history of the reproductive rights amendment at the Missouri Democrats website.