Latest news with #AdamSchnelting
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Missouri Republicans Usurp Will of Voters on Abortion Referendum
Missouri Senate Republicans have decided to work against their electorate. The state's conservative lawmakers shut down a Democrat-led filibuster Wednesday by leveraging a rarely utilized procedural maneuver. Senate Republicans used the rule—in which 10 members sign a motion to force an immediate vote, also known as 'calling the previous question' or simply 'P.Q.'—to overturn the state's abortion rights amendment. Missourians voted directly to enshrine abortion access in their state constitution in November, undoing the state ban by safeguarding a woman's choice up to the point of viability. But what 53.2 percent of the state wanted was apparently not on the minds of Missouri Senate Republicans Wednesday evening. Senator Adam Schnelting from St. Charles pushed for the P.Q. after 5 p.m., advancing the abortion amendment by 5:30 p.m. Doing so killed the Democrats' filibuster and forced a vote on the new measure, which passed and must now be approved by voters in a statewide referendum. This means that Missourians must vote again on abortion rights, either in 2026 or earlier if the governor calls a special election. The new proposed ban would repeal the newly instated constitutional right to abortion and allow for exceptions in case of rape, incest, or medical emergencies. Before 6 p.m., the caucus had approved another bill, repealing a sick leave law that state residents had similarly voted for and that only went into effect May 1, reported the Missouri Independent. Democrats torched the conservative caucus for forcing the action, declaring that there would be no more goodwill or cooperation between the two parties for the rest of the year. 'Nothing will happen, nothing,' said Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, according to The Independent. 'The banner year that everybody had in this place? That is over with.' Protests erupted from the Senate gallery as Republicans motioned to vote on the abortion ban. Lawmakers had the gallery cleared of both protesters and press and then wrapped their work a couple of hours later. Republicans' use of the P.Q. was the first time that the rule had been used in the state Senate since 2020. P.Q.s are often utilized in the House, according to The Independent, but have traditionally been looked down upon in the state Senate, where lawmakers expect to be able to engage in extended discourse on bills. Senator Stephen Webber, a Democrat from Columbia, told The Independent that Republicans' reliance on a P.Q. to advance a vote was a 'failure of the Senate.' 'Today, Senate Republicans said they don't give a damn what voters think by moving to repeal both,' Democratic House Minority Leader Ashley Aune said, in a statement. 'Missourians will not accept their fundamental rights being stripped away and their decisions ignored. The majority party has ignited a political firestorm that will scorch them.' But it's not the only anti-abortion effort currently making its way through the Missouri legislature. Missouri House Bill 807, called the 'Save MO Babies Act,' is intended to target people 'at risk for seeking abortion services' and to 'reduce the number of preventable abortions.' If passed, a registry of such people would start on July 1, 2026, and would be managed by the Maternal and Child Services division of the state's Department of Social Services, according to the bill text. The bill does not specify the scope and scale of such a registry or exactly how 'at risk' individuals would be identified. Lack of access to abortion care has actually made pregnancies drastically less safe. In Texas, where abortion hasn't been permitted despite the legislature's medical emergency clause, sepsis rates have skyrocketed by as much as 50 percent for women who lost their pregnancies during the second trimester, according to an investigative analysis by ProPublica.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Missouri lawmakers move to repeal abortion protections enacted by voters
Missouri lawmakers passed a voter referendum Wednesday that, if approved, would repeal protections for abortion rights and restore a ban on nearly all abortion care in the state. The move comes just six months after Missouri voters approved an amendment enshrining the right to reproductive freedom, including abortion care, in the state constitution, effectively overturning a near-total abortion ban that was in effect. A circuit court affirmed the right to reproductive freedom in December. The bill now heads to the governor's desk, but does not need his signature to appear on a ballot. MORE: Fighting for their lives: Women and the impact of abortion restrictions in post-Roe America The initiative will appear on the November 2026 ballot unless Gov. Mike Kehoe calls a special election sooner than that. If it passes, HJR 73 would prohibit abortions, except in cases of medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape or incest. If the abortion is due to rape or incest, it must occur no later than 12 weeks' gestation, according to the bill. "Senate Republicans are overturning the will of the voters and pushing to bring an Abortion Ban back to Missouri," Missouri Senate Democrats wrote in a post on X Wednesday evening. "This new ballot item will ban abortion and take away a right that voters secured just six months ago." If approved, the amendment would also permit state lawmakers to enact legislation to regulate abortions and access to care. "These laws shall include, but not be limited to, laws requiring physicians providing abortion care to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital; laws requiring facilities where abortions are performed or induced to be licensed and inspected for clean and safe conditions and adequate instruments to treat any emergencies arising from an abortion procedure; laws requiring physicians to perform a sufficient examination of the woman to determine the unborn child's gestational age and any preexisting medical conditions that may influence the procedure; and laws requiring ultrasounds to be performed only by physicians or licensed medical technicians," the bill states. MORE: A state-by-state breakdown of where abortion stands after ballot initiatives pass State Sen. Adam Schnelting, who sponsored the bill, did not immediately return ABC News' request for comment. Anti-abortion right groups praised the bill, claiming it will "save lives." "We applaud the Missouri legislature for passing this pro-life amendment to save lives, protect parents' rights, and safeguard women and girls," Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion rights group Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America, said in a statement. "We call on Missouri GOP leaders in Washington and across the state to offer their strong, vocal support of this measure." Since Roe v. Wade was overruled by the Supreme Court in June 2022, 12 states have ceased nearly all abortion services while four states have a six-week ban on books, according to an ABC News tally. Following the Supreme Court decision, Missouri enacted a trigger law banning most abortions in the state. However, Amendment 3, which enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution, passed in November 2024 with 52% of voters in favor of the amendment. Anti-abortion advocates, such as SBA, have argued that Amendment 3 is extreme and goes beyond what Missourians have supported. Abortion Action Missouri, the group that supported Amendment 3, released a statement on Wednesday criticizing lawmakers for attempting to reinstate an abortion ban. "Missourians support access to abortion. This past November more than 1.5 million Missourians made their voices heard at the ballot box -- voting to enshrine abortion rights into the Missouri constitution," Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri, said. "And right now, thanks to Missourians, abortion is legal and available for the first time in years. Despite this, today anti-abortion politicians passed HJR 73, showing us they think Missourians are disposable. We know the truth -- Missourians are used to fighting back and are prepared to keep showing up. In the past 4 months, thousands of Missourians have shown up over and over again to defend the will of the people. Do not underestimate their determination." Missouri lawmakers move to repeal abortion protections enacted by voters originally appeared on
15-05-2025
- Health
Missouri lawmakers move to repeal abortion protections enacted by voters
Missouri lawmakers passed a voter referendum Wednesday that, if approved, would repeal protections for abortion rights and restore a ban on nearly all abortion care in the state. The move comes just six months after Missouri voters approved an amendment enshrining the right to reproductive freedom, including abortion care, in the state constitution, effectively overturning a near-total abortion ban that was in effect. A circuit court affirmed the right to reproductive freedom in December. The bill now heads to the governor's desk, but does not need his signature to appear on a ballot. The initiative will appear on the November 2026 ballot unless Gov. Mike Kehoe calls a special election sooner than that. If it passes, HJR 73 would prohibit abortions, except in cases of medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape or incest. If the abortion is due to rape or incest, it must occur no later than 12 weeks' gestation, according to the bill. "Senate Republicans are overturning the will of the voters and pushing to bring an Abortion Ban back to Missouri," Missouri Senate Democrats wrote in a post on X Wednesday evening. "This new ballot item will ban abortion and take away a right that voters secured just six months ago." If approved, the amendment would also permit state lawmakers to enact legislation to regulate abortions and access to care. "These laws shall include, but not be limited to, laws requiring physicians providing abortion care to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital; laws requiring facilities where abortions are performed or induced to be licensed and inspected for clean and safe conditions and adequate instruments to treat any emergencies arising from an abortion procedure; laws requiring physicians to perform a sufficient examination of the woman to determine the unborn child's gestational age and any preexisting medical conditions that may influence the procedure; and laws requiring ultrasounds to be performed only by physicians or licensed medical technicians," the bill states. State Sen. Adam Schnelting, who sponsored the bill, did not immediately return ABC News' request for comment. Anti-abortion right groups praised the bill, claiming it will "save lives." "We applaud the Missouri legislature for passing this pro-life amendment to save lives, protect parents' rights, and safeguard women and girls," Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion rights group Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America, said in a statement. "We call on Missouri GOP leaders in Washington and across the state to offer their strong, vocal support of this measure." Since Roe v. Wade was overruled by the Supreme Court in June 2022, 12 states have ceased nearly all abortion services while four states have a six-week ban on books, according to an ABC News tally. Following the Supreme Court decision, Missouri enacted a trigger law banning most abortions in the state. However, Amendment 3, which enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution, passed in November 2024 with 52% of voters in favor of the amendment. Anti-abortion advocates, such as SBA, have argued that Amendment 3 is extreme and goes beyond what Missourians have supported. Abortion Action Missouri, the group that supported Amendment 3, released a statement on Wednesday criticizing lawmakers for attempting to reinstate an abortion ban. "Missourians support access to abortion. This past November more than 1.5 million Missourians made their voices heard at the ballot box -- voting to enshrine abortion rights into the Missouri constitution," Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri, said. "And right now, thanks to Missourians, abortion is legal and available for the first time in years. Despite this, today anti-abortion politicians passed HJR 73, showing us they think Missourians are disposable. We know the truth -- Missourians are used to fighting back and are prepared to keep showing up. In the past 4 months, thousands of Missourians have shown up over and over again to defend the will of the people. Do not underestimate their determination."
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Missouri Democrats blocks vote to repeal Amendment 3
ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Senate is embroiled in a heated debate over abortion rights and gender-related care as Republicans push to repeal Amendment 3 before the legislative session ends Friday at 6 p.m. Amendment 3, which was approved by nearly 52 percent of voters last year, protects abortion rights in Missouri up to the point of fetal viability. However, Republicans are seeking to replace it with a new constitutional amendment that would allow abortion only in cases of rape, incest, or medical emergency and would ban gender-affirming care for minors. Senator Adam Schnelting of St. Charles argues that Amendment 3 goes too far, claiming that most Missourians 'do not want abortion on demand.' Senator Patty Lewis of Kansas City accused Republicans of using 'ballot candy' to mislead voters by adding unrelated language to the proposal. Police spike dozens of reckless drivers in slideshows across St. Louis The debate in Jefferson City intensified on Monday night as Republicans opened discussions on the proposal to repeal Amendment 3. However, after just two hours, Democrats began blocking a vote, effectively stalling the debate. The proposed amendment has already passed in the House, and now the GOP is racing against the clock to get the measure on the ballot before the session ends. The proposal's inclusion of a ban on gender-affirming care for minors has added to the controversy, with opponents arguing that it infringes on the rights of transgender youth. As the legislative session deadline approaches, the future of Amendment 3 and the proposed changes remains uncertain, with both sides entrenched in their positions. All facts from this article were gathered by KTVI journalists. This article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KTVI staff. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
