State Rep. Justin Sparks, R-Wildwood, questions Chris Hinckley, chief warrant officer in 最新杏吧原创 Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner鈥檚 office, during a hearing of the House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee in the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023.
JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 A 最新杏吧原创 County Republican wants Missourians to weigh in on abortion again after voters decided to enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution last month.
Rep. Justin Sparks, a Wildwood Republican who is mounting a bid for House speaker, filed a resolution Monday that would go before voters, asking them to block the right to an abortion.
The move helps set the stage for the upcoming legislative session as Republicans debate how and whether to respond to voters after they overturned the GOP-backed abortion ban at the polls this year.
Lawmakers aren鈥檛 set to return to action in Jefferson City until Jan. 8, meaning there won鈥檛 be any immediate movement on Sparks鈥 proposal.
Sparks鈥 measure came days before a Jackson County judge is set to hold a hearing on a lawsuit seeking to overturn Missouri鈥檚 abortion ban by Thursday, when Amendment 3 is to take effect.
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A 51.6% majority of Missouri voters supported Amendment 3 in the Nov. 5 election, creating the right to abortion up to fetal viability.
Prior to the election, Sparks had sharply criticized House Majority Leader Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee鈥檚 Summit, for comments he made that legislators would respect the will of the voters on Amendment 3.
After the election, Sparks announced he was challenging Patterson for speaker. Patterson, following a House GOP caucus meeting, later said Republicans would move forward with plans to address Amendment 3.
If approved, Sparks鈥 constitutional amendment would say nothing in the state constitution 鈥渟ecures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion.鈥
The Missouri Constitution protects a person鈥檚 right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Sparks鈥 amendment would also say 鈥渆very in utero human child鈥 is a person.
The legislative effort follows legal action by the state鈥檚 two Planned Parenthood chapters to overturn Missouri鈥檚 near-total ban.
The day after the election, the state鈥檚 two Planned Parenthood chapters filed a lawsuit in Jackson County seeking to block Missouri鈥檚 ban on or before Thursday.
A hearing on the case is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Jackson County. The Missouri attorney general鈥檚 office Planned Parenthood鈥檚 lawsuit.
In , however, Attorney General Andrew Bailey said the amendment would generally forbid the state from enforcing its near-total ban.
Amendment 3 followed Missouri鈥檚 implementation of a near-total abortion ban in June 2022 after the reversal of Roe v. Wade. The law approved by Republican legislators only allows for abortions in medical emergencies.
In addition to Sparks鈥 resolution, state Rep. Brian Seitz filed bills Monday to ban abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected and a measure to protect children 鈥渂orn alive during or after an abortion or an attempted abortion.鈥
A third bill by Seitz would say unborn children are 鈥渆ntitled to the same rights, powers, privileges, justice, and protections as are secured or granted by the laws of this state to any other human person.鈥
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.
