Missouri Supreme Court will decide fate of abortion amendment Tuesday

By NewsPress Now

Missouri’s abortion-rights amendment could be removed from the November ballot depending on a state Supreme Court decision Tuesday.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft decertified Amendment 3, deeming it “deficient” in a court brief Monday. This comes after his certification of the amendment Aug. 13. Now, the amendment is no longer listed under “ballot measures” on the secretary of state website. 

The Missouri Supreme Court will consider Amendment 3’s place on the Nov. 5 ballot Tuesday. Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh ruled Friday that the amendment does not meet the requirements to be on the ballot because of its failure to mention existing law or what would be repealed. 

Limbaugh did not remove the initiative from the ballot, but instead gave campaign organizers a chance to appeal before the Tuesday deadline to make changes to the ballot.

After Limbaugh’s ruling, Ashcroft and his office, in a brief to the state Supreme Court, are urging its officials to follow the ruling of Limbaugh, citing several concerns about Amendment 3’s qualifications. 

If it does make it to the ballot, a “yes” vote on Amendment 3 would support the removal of Missouri’s ban on abortion.