Four years after Dobbs, Missouri abortion fight continues in court, ballotbox

JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. (KFVS) – Four years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Missouri became the first state to ban abortion, Planned Parenthood is once again offering abortions.

Medication abortions are returning, too, after a Jackson County Circuit Court ruling. However, the state’s legal battle continues with court cases and a new ballot measure.

The past four years

Four years ago, Missouri politicians used a 2019 trigger law to ban abortion within 20 minutes of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned the limited federal abortion protections of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

Abortion was put on the ballot in 2024 by an initiative petition that collected more than 380,000 signatures. Missouri became the first state to end an abortion ban by a vote of the people in 2024 and established the Right to Reproductive Freedom in the state constitution.

Another vote this year

This year will mark the second time Missourians vote on abortion. In November, Missourians will once again vote on abortion on the new Amendment Three. A “yes” vote is to ban abortions.

The new ballot measure has limited exceptions for rape, incest and medical emergencies, only if performed before the 12-week gestational period. It’s set to be on the statewide ballot for the November 2026 midterm election.

Bonnie Lee with 40 Days for Life said she hopes Missourians vote in favor of new restrictions in November.

“Missouri is waking up, and we will make a difference in November,” Lee said.

Missourians will see this question on their ballot:

“Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

Repeal the 2024 voter-approved Amendment providing reproductive healthcare rights, including abortion through fetal viability;

Allow abortions for rape and incest (under twelve-weeks’ gestation), emergencies, and fetal anomalies;

Allow legislation regulating abortion;

Ensure parental consent for minors’ abortions;

Prohibit gender transition procedures for minors?”

A “yes” vote would essentially repeal the Amendment Three passed in November 2024. But this language may not be final. If lawyers appeal again, it can go to the Missouri Supreme Court.”

“I think voters are now seeing they didn’t know what they were voting on [in 2024]. There was a lot of misinformation, a lot of hidden information, a lot of legalese,” Lee said.

Maggie Olivia with Abortion Action Missouri said she wants the opposite outcome at the ballot box.

“I feel all the more invigorated having seen the consequences of abortion bans to do whatever it takes to stop this new abortion ban,” Olivia said.

Olivia called the new Amendment Three an overreach by Missouri politicians.

“There are some politicians in Jefferson City who don’t like the decision we just made in 2024, so they think they can muddy the waters, change the rules,” Olivia said.

Ongoing lawsuit

This month, a Jackson County Circuit Court judge issued a permanent injunction striking down several state abortion restrictions.

Planned Parenthood said the decision also clears the way for medication abortion to be available in Missouri for the first time since 2018 and allows Planned Parenthood to resume providing it.

“For too long, politicians forced patients to leave the state for an evidence-based and trusted form of abortion care. Now that care is coming home,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains.

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway criticized the ruling and said she plans to appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court.

“This radical decision gives abortion providers a free pass to police themselves,” Hanaway said in a statement. “My office will expeditiously appeal this dangerous decision to the Missouri Supreme Court.”