EDITOR’S NOTE: Timothy Faber serves as legislative consultant for the Missouri Baptist Convention.
Last November Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment “officially” known as The Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative” but more commonly known as Amendment 3. It passed by 95,637 votes out of nearly 3 million votes cast, or 51.6% to 48.4%. Immediately after it went into effect Planned Parenthood sued to start invalidating the plethora of state statutes that had resulted in abortion being virtually inaccessible in Missouri.
As part of their lawsuits they have filed for injunctions against current Missouri statutes based on their anticipation of winning these lawsuits. Such injunctions would have the effect of granting them a win and allowing abortions to take place prior to the court’s decision.
Fortunately, there are men and women of faith serving in our state legislature! Among them is Senator Rick Brattin (R), who filed Senate Bill 22 (SB22). This bill is a “fly under the radar” kind of bill, listed as modifying “provisions relating to summary statements for statewide ballot measures.” But, in reality, it will save the lives of Missouri children. And not only was the bill filed, it passed the Senate by a vote of 24-10, along party lines. There was also an emergency clause added, which means after final passage it would take effect immediately. When SB22 got to the House, it passed 109-46 (All Republicans except Rep. Bryant Wolfin voted for its passage).
The bill has already been signed by Gov. Kehoe, and because of the emergency clause has already taken affect. Thus, the Attorney General is looking into filing an appeal on the injunctions which would stall the abortion agenda until the court cases are settled.
On another front, Rep. Ed Lewis filed, and Rep. Brian Seitz “handled,” the House Joint Resolution 73 (HJR73), which would put before Missouri voters the opportunity to remove most of the damage done by Amendment 3. HJR73 has already been passed in the House 103-51. Every Democrat who voted, voted against it. Every Republican who voted, voted for it, with the exception of Speaker of the House, Jon Patterson. It is currently working its way through the Senate and will hopefully be approved there and will be on the ballot in November 2026, or sooner.
While most of us would prefer to reinstate a total ban on abortion, no legislation for accomplishing such a ban has a chance of getting passed in the current legislative session. HJR73 would allow abortion in cases of rape and incest (only for the first 12 weeks of gestation), for fatal fetal anomalies, and for medical emergencies to save the life of the mother. Even in these cases, when abortion would be allowed, there would have to be a licensed physician with visiting privileges in a nearby hospital, abortuaries would have to maintain medical standards, minors seeking an abortion would have to have parental consent, and transgender surgeries for minors would be prohibited.
All of this is an improvement over what we currently have in Missouri. So even though HJR73 does not go far enough, it is far better than what we have. Though it will not save all babies from abortion, it will save more babies than doing nothing.
Please be in much prayer and be prepared to do all you can to get HJR73 passed in the Senate before the end of the session, so that people can vote to pull back the horrors of Amendment 3.