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CV NEWS FEED // A Republican Missouri state representative this week testified about legislation she filed that would reinstate protecting unborn children from abortion, with the exception of medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, and pregnancies resulting from rape and incest.
According to the state’s website, Missouri constitutional Amendment 3 made abortion legal up until doctors consider the preborn baby “viable,” meaning able to survive outside the womb without medical help. Usually, viability is around 22-24 weeks.
CatholicVote previously reported that in September 2024, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled to include pro-abortion state constitution Amendment 3, which forbids the government from making or carrying out any decisions regarding women’s “reproductive health care,” on the November 2024 voting ballot. According to the Washington Post, the amendment passed with 51.6% approval.
Rep. Melanie Stinnett, R-Springfield, filed legislation Jan. 14 that would overturn the pro-abortion amendment.
The bill, HJR 54 states, “Upon voter approval, this constitutional amendment prohibits abortions, except in cases of medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape, or incest.” The bill allows for abortion up to 12 weeks in case of rape or incest if documentation is provided to the doctor that the sexual abuse was reported to a local authority. The documentation must show that a report was made at least 48 hours before the abortion to a law enforcement agency that has investigative jurisdiction.
According to the Missouri Independent, a House committee met Feb. 4 to discuss the bill. Democrat Minority Floor Leader Ashley Aune also asked how the bill accounts for victims who do not, for various reasons, report sexual violence.
Stinnette said the reason for the deadline is to prevent women from falsely claiming they were raped because they want to have an abortion.
In the meeting, Republican Rep. Becky Laubinger backed the reporting measure, stating that “abortion makes rape a continued secret.”
“My heart goes out to victims of sexual violence. It is horrific. It should not happen,” Laubinger stated. “I do struggle with the idea that abortion is the only compassionate hope for the many women that I personally know who have suffered sexual violence.”
The proposed bill also includes restrictions prohibiting surgery or chemical “gender transitioning” of children. A physician whose compliance or negligence causes an abortion or other damage in reproductive health care may be liable for damages and subject to medical license suspension or revocation.
The committee did not take action that day.
