A ballot initiative in Missouri that would overturn the state’s near-total abortion ban ran into a roadblock Friday after a judge agreed with anti-abortion opponents that the measure did not inform voters of the ramifications.
Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh sided with anti-abortion lawmakers and activists in his ruling, arguing Amendment 3 did not adequately inform voters who signed petitions about the amendment’s ramifications
He found the measure was “insufficient” and a “blatant violation” of the statutory requirements because it failed to list the laws that would be repealed if the amendment was passed.
But he declined to immediately issue an injunction to allow time for proponents to appeal ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
Attorneys for the group Missourians for Constitutional Freedom filed an appeal, and the case bypassed the court of appeals to head directly to the state Supreme Court.
Arguments will be heard Tuesday, which is also the deadline for ballots to be printed to mail to absentee voters. This means a decision will need to be made the same day arguments are made.
Amendment 3, if allowed on the ballot and passed, would revise the Missouri state constitution to guarantee a right to an abortion up to the point of viability.
Missouri was the first state to ban almost all abortions after the 2022 Dobbs ruling, and passage of the ballot measure would be the first time such a ban would be overturned.
“The court’s decision to block Amendment 3 from appearing on the ballot is a profound injustice to the initiative petition process and undermines the rights of the 380,000 Missourians who signed our petition demanding a voice on this critical issue,” Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, said in a statement following the ruling.
Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.
Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.
Essential Reads
How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond:
Harris campaign calls Trump marijuana post ‘blatant pandering’
Vice President Harris’s campaign called a post by former President Trump on Florida’s marijuana legalization measure “blatant pandering” on Monday. In a post on Truth Social late Sunday night, Trump said he will vote yes on Amendment 3, which would legalize marijuana in the Sunshine State. “As I have previously stated, I believe it is time to end needless arrests and incarcerations of adults for small amounts of marijuana …
Full Story
Democrats press for gun violence hearing in wake of Georgia school shooting
House Democrats pressed for a hearing on gun violence in a letter dated Sunday following a shooting at a Georgia high school last week in which two students and two teachers were killed. In their letter, the Democrats noted that the only hearing the House Oversight and Accountability Committee has held in this Congress about a mass shooting was the one dedicated to the security failures surrounding the summer assassination …
Full Story
COVID subcommittee accuses Cuomo of ‘wrongdoing’ in investigation report
The GOP-controlled House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Monday published findings from its investigation into former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, alleging evidence of the governor’s office deliberately seeking to conceal the extent of nursing home deaths due to the virus. The results of the investigation come just one day before Cuomo is set to testify …
Full Story
On Our Radar
Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo testifies Tuesday at the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.
A House Education and Workforce subcommittee holds a Tuesday hearing examining employee sponsored health benefits.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on the FDA’s unified Human Foods Program and Center for Tobacco Products, focusing on helping adult smokers quit, keeping illegal products away from kids, and ensuring a safe food supply.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a Thursday hearing on Steward Health’s bankruptcy and the impact on patients of its hospital closures.
In Other News
Branch out with a different read:
What to know about delta-8 and other common vape shop drugs
They’re sold in gas stations, vape shops, online and in other stores around the country in seemingly countless enticing forms: gummies, chocolate bars, chips. Their packaging lists things like delta-8 THC, micro- and macrodoses of “psychedelics” and “nootropics.” These substances are often sold through legal loopholes, despite …
Full Story
Around the Nation
Local and state headlines on health care:
Planned Parenthood of Montana confirms cyberattack in late August (NBC Montana)
Texas sues to block federal rule protecting health records of women crossing state lines for abortions (CBS News)
California’s key COVID and health advisor to step down (CalMatters)
What We’re Reading
Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:
Teen girls’ brains aged rapidly during the pandemic, study finds (The New York Times)
Apple pushes into sleep apnea detection but health care integration remains unclear (STAT News)
Babesiosis, another disease spread by ticks, is on the rise (The Washington Post)
What Others are Reading
Most read stories on The Hill right now:
New poll delivers warning signals to Harris
A string of recent polls is delivering warning signs for Vice President Harris ahead of the critical presidential debate Tuesday evening. A New … Read more
Vance pushes false accusations of Haitians eating pets
GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (Ohio) on Monday amplified a false claim that Haitian immigrants are abducting and eating pets in Springfield, … Read more
What People Think
Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill:
The normalization of gambling is fueling addiction
Affordable Care Act tax credits work despite fraud and should be expanded
You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!
Close
Thank you for signing up!
Subscribe to more newsletters here
The latest in politics and policy.
Direct to your inbox.
Sign up for the Health Care newsletter
if ( window.checkSizeClasses && window.checkSizeClasses instanceof Function) {
window.checkSizeClasses();
}
Heather Ochoa is a news writer at the Failsafe Podcast. She has been writing about politics, health, business, parenting and finance for over a decade. She also loves to go hiking in her free time.