Incoming Missouri House Majority Leader Alex Riley of Springfield, incoming House Speaker Jonathan Patterson of Lee鈥檚 Summit, and incoming House Speaker Pro Tem Chad Perkins of Bowling Green.
JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 Republicans in the Missouri House are moving forward with changes to the abortion-rights amendment voters approved this month 鈥 despite recent comments from the House GOP leader that 鈥渨e will鈥 respect the will of the people.
House Majority Leader Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee鈥檚 Summit, said Wednesday that Republicans would address Amendment 3, insisting he wasn鈥檛 backtracking on his prior stance.
鈥淲e respect the will of the voters. That doesn鈥檛 mean that things can鈥檛 be improved or changed,鈥 Patterson said. 鈥淭here are a number of things in there that members want to address. And they鈥檒l go forth right now and work on bills to address those things.鈥
Patterson鈥檚 comments, following a GOP caucus meeting at the Missouri Farm Bureau headquarters in Jefferson City, came as the GOP leader tries to defuse a challenge for the speakership from his right flank.
People are also reading…
The challenger, state Rep. Justin Sparks of Wildwood, blasted Patterson鈥檚 previous comments, made prior to the election, that 鈥渨e should respect the will of the people and we will鈥 on Amendment 3.
After the election, Sparks announced a surprise challenge to Patterson for the speakership.
The broadside by a fellow Republican represented a break with norms. House Republicans have historically selected the next speaker in a closed-door meeting more than a year before the person takes office.
Patterson, exiting the meeting Wednesday, expressed confidence that he would ultimately be elected when the House returns to action Jan. 8.
鈥淚鈥檓 very confident that I have the full backing of the House Republican conference,鈥 Patterson told reporters after the caucus meeting. 鈥淲e had a great discussion in there.鈥
Sparks, after the caucus meeting, said he made his case to fellow Republicans and was still running for speaker. 鈥淚 felt very comfortable with what I said. And, I said my piece. I was very honest,鈥 Sparks said.
Patterson, asked what had changed since his previous comments, said nothing has changed. 鈥淲e are still respecting the will of the voters. It is the law of the land.鈥
He said discussions about changes are starting.
Missouri鈥檚 current law only allows abortions in medical emergencies, an exception doctors have criticized as vague. There are currently no exceptions allowing abortion in cases of rape or incest.
But Amendment 3, establishing the right to reproductive freedom, won with 51.6% of the vote in this month鈥檚 election. The amendment is set to take effect in early December.
It legalizes abortion up to the point of fetal viability, which can occur at about 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Changes to the amendment itself would require another majority vote of the people, requiring lawmakers to place another question on the ballot.
But abortion legislation seeking to change state law 鈥 without requiring a vote of the people 鈥 could also be filed, potentially setting up future court fights.
Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson, said Republicans were considering legislation to ban abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected. He said the measure could be filed as a proposed ballot question or as regular legislation.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at all avenues,鈥 he said.
Seitz has also said he would file legislation declaring human life begins at conception, and another proposal protecting 鈥渂abies who survive botched abortion attempts.鈥
Incoming House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, said in a brief text message Wednesday that 鈥淢issourians just voted to fully protect reproductive rights. Full stop. End of conversation.鈥
Patterson said Republican lawmakers were 鈥渧ery concerned about Amendment 3.鈥
鈥淭here are a number of things that can be addressed. The fetal viability 鈥 the definition 鈥 for one,鈥 Patterson said. 鈥淥ne of the priorities will be to see about making Missouri the most pro-life state it can be.鈥
Patterson, in his comments prior to the election, also said a 鈥渢otal ban鈥 on abortion doesn鈥檛 work in Missouri and that voters wanted compromise.
鈥淢y role as speaker is to find and build consensus,鈥 Patterson said Wednesday.
The state鈥檚 Planned Parenthood chapters sued the day after the election to overturn Missouri鈥檚 strict abortion ban and as well as additional restrictions. That litigation was pending as of Wednesday.
Amendment 3, a measure to overturn Missouri's abortion ban, passed in the 2024 election. Lawsuits are on the horizon. Video edited by Jenna Jones.
