A proposed ballot initiative that would strip pro-life protections in Missouri may be removed from the ballot after a judge ruled that its language violated state law.
The state Supreme Court will hear arguments on Tuesday on whether a ballot initiative that would make abortion a constitutional right will appear on the ballot in November. The initiative would ban the state government from passing laws that would “infringe upon a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom.”
If passed, the amendment would undermine current Missouri law which protects unborn children at all stages in the red state.
On Friday, Missouri Circuit Court Judge Christopher Kirby Limbaugh ruled that ballot organizers, Missourians for Constitutional Freedom and Anna Fitz-James, violated state law by not including language in the initiative that would make clear what current Missouri law would be repealed by adopting the amendment.
“Fitz-James’ failure to include any statute or provision that will be repealed, especially when many of these statutes are apparent,” Limbaugh wrote, adding the language “is in blatant violation of the sufficiency requirements” for ballot initiatives.
A challenge to the ballot language was filed by lawyers with the Thomas More Society on behalf of Missouri State Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman, pro-life advocate Kathy Forck, State Rep. Hannah Kelly, and Our Lady’s Inn President and CEO Peggy Forrest.
Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.
They argued the amendment would compromise other Missouri laws on issues like transgender surgeries and human cloning.
“Thomas More Society’s mission is to defend life, family, and freedom—wherever they are threatened. Missouri’s Amendment 3 threatens all three,” said Thomas More Society lawyer Catherine Martin. “We will not allow Missourians to be deceived into signing away dozens of current laws that protect the unborn, pregnant women, parents, and children.”
Leftist activists have mobilized to place pro-abortion amendments on ballots across the country in red states such as Florida and Montana. A pro-abortion ballot in Arkansas was rejected last month by the state’s Supreme Court which agreed with Secretary of State John Thurston who said that the pro-abortion activist didn’t follow state law.
The Arkansas ballot initiative would have added exceptions to existing Arkansas abortion law for rape, incest, and fetal anomaly, as well as instituting a right to an abortion up to 18 weeks after conception. At 18 weeks, an unborn baby’s digestive system begins working and they can hear sounds.
