"Missouri Lawmakers Seek to Roll Back Abortion Rights Protections: Amendment 3 Repeal and Gender Affirming Care Restrictions"
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"Missouri Lawmakers Seek to Roll Back Abortion Rights Protections: Amendment 3 Repeal and Gender Affirming Care Restrictions"
[!CDATA[Missouri lawmakers are attempting to overturn abortion rights protections that were approved by voters six months ago. The legislation, known as Amendment 3, removed the state's abortion ban following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Republican lawmakers are seeking to repeal the amendment, making abortion illegal except in cases of medical emergencies, rape, and incest. A rare procedural rule was invoked by Missouri Senate Republicans on May 14 to force a vote on their resolution, which passed and may go before voters in November 2026 or sooner. Abortion is currently legal in Missouri, with voters supporting Amendment 3 in November 2024. Surgical abortion is available at three Planned Parenthood clinics in the state for patients up to 12 weeks gestation. However, medication abortion remains inaccessible in Missouri due to the rejection of clinic plans by the state's health department. Missouri House Joint Resolution HJR 73 aims to repeal Amendment 3, restricting abortion to cases of medical emergency, rape, or incest, with documentation required for the latter two circumstances. The resolution also addresses gender affirming care for minors, prohibiting hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and gender transition surgeries. Missouri Senator Nick Schroer highlighted the inclusion of gender affirming health care conditions as crucial for Republican approval of the resolution. LGBTQIA+ organization PROMO Missouri's executive director, Katy Erker-Lynch, expressed disappointment over the resolution's passing but encouraged the queer community to remain resilient. The resolution's passing marks a challenging time for LGBTQ+ rights, but Erker-Lynch emphasized the importance of unity and resilience in facing such setbacks.]]