Jefferson City – The ACLU of Missouri and Stinson LLP filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Denny Hoskins for certifying an intentionally misleading and inaccurate summary statement and fair ballot language for a measure that would overturn the recent voter-passed constitutional protections for reproductive freedom.
The ballot measure was placed on the ballot by the legislature in the form of House Joint Resolution 73 but will appear on the ballot as Amendment 3. Amendment 3 fails to inform voters that, if passed, it will eliminate the fundamental right to reproductive freedom; abolish explicit constitutional protections for prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, and respectful birthing conditions; and would overturn protections against prosecution for physicians related to pregnancy outcomes.
“Less than six months after we voted to end Missouri’s abortion ban and protect reproductive freedom, politicians chose to ignore the will of the people so they can reinstate their ban on abortion,” said Tori Schafer, Director of Policy and Campaigns at the ACLU of Missouri. “Amendment 3, passed as HJR 73, is a copy and paste bill from special interest groups that will abolish our constitutional right to reproductive freedom, including access to abortion care.”
In addition to the misleading and inaccurate summary statement, Amendment 3 violates the state’s single subject clause for ballot measures that will amend the Constitution. Specifically, Amendment 3 erroneously categorizes several topics to fall under the definition of “reproductive health care,” including banning health care for transgender adolescents, arbitrarily forcing all legal actions “relating to reproductive health care” to be heard in Cole County Circuit Court, and creating a notification system for the Attorney General on all private and non-state involved lawsuits questioning the constitutionality of state statutes.
The lawsuit asks the court to declare Amendment 3’s summary statement and fair ballot language unfair and insufficient and to certify a new, compliant summary statement for voters, or to declare Amendment 3 in violation of the state Constitution and deny it from being placed on any ballot.
Read the full petition.