Kansas City, Mo. - Today, Governor Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 22, clearing a path for state officials to try to roll back the will of the voters by restricting access to abortion and reproductive health care across the state.
Senate Bill 22 expands government control over the initiative petition process by allowing the Missouri Secretary of State multiple attempts to skew the ballot language rather than just providing fair and impartial language to voters. The bill also expands the Missouri Attorney General’s ability to appeal preliminary injunctions on laws that violate the constitution. It does not allow for any other party to appeal the granting or denial of a preliminary injunction.
In a coordinated effort, the Attorney General then filed a notice of appeal just minutes after the bill was signed by the Governor, seeking to reverse the preliminary injunctions currently blocking Missouri’s total abortion ban and many politically motivated, medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion care providers.
The ACLU of Missouri, Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, and Planned Parenthood Great Rivers issued the following statement:
“A majority of Missouri voters passed Amendment 3 to end Missouri’s abortion ban and protect reproductive freedom. Rather than following the will of the people, the same anti-abortion politicians that fought against Amendment 3 and lost at the ballot box have changed the rules of both the initiative petition and the court procedures so they can try to reinstate Missouri’s abortion ban. Patients deserve more access to health care, not less. We will fight these attacks on our fundamental rights to ensure all Missourians continue to have access to abortion and the reproductive care they need.”