Missouri GOP pushes new Amendment 3 to repeal abortion rights while banning teen gender care

In the upcoming November election, Missouri’s Republican leadership is submitting a new Amendment 3 that seeks to overturn the 2024 voter-approved constitutional right to abortion and embed a permanent prohibition on gender-transition procedures for minors. The measure combines a limited-exception abortion ban with a constitutional ban on surgeries and medications that the state already restricts by law. Critics say the pairing is a deceptive tactic to make the abortion repeal more palatable, noting that the gender-care provision addresses a small number of minors.

Republican officials contend the amendment aligns with what voters intended, emphasizing protection of children and “common-sense” health standards. A coalition called Stop the Ban, funded in part by former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, is campaigning against the proposal. Legal challenges have already reshaped the ballot summary language, with courts ordering it to clearly state that the amendment would repeal the 2024 reproductive-rights amendment.