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Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative | ||||||||||
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2024 Missouri Constitutional Amendment 3, also known as theRight to Reproductive Freedom Initiative, was a constitutional amendment that appeared on the ballot on November 5, 2024. The initiative amended theConstitution of Missouri tolegalizeabortion in Missouri untilfetal viability.[1] On December 23, 2024, the measure amended the Missouri Constitution to provide the right forreproductive freedom, defined as "the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion, miscarriage care, and respectful birthing conditions."[2] The amendment narrowly passed.[3]
PerNBC News, the amendment received majority support inBoone,Buchanan,Clay,Jackson,Platte,St. Charles, andSt. Louiscounties, as well as the independent city ofSt. Louis.[4] These were nearly the same exact counties that had voted for2020 Missouri Amendment 2 toexpand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, except Buchanan County voted for legal abortion but against Medicaid expansion, whileGreene County voted against legal abortion but for Medicaid expansion.
Per the map, the amendment received majority support in Boone County, home toColumbia and theUniversity of Missouri, as well as theKansas City andGreater St. Louis metropolitan areas along theMissouri River. It was most strongly opposed in theOzarks in southern Missouri.
Missouri was the first state to enforce its ban afterDobbs was decided. Abortion access was restored in Missouri in February 2025.[5] Specifically, clinics started providing abortions again on February 15, 2025.[6] In May 2025, Missouri lawmakers approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would, if approved by voters in the 2026 elections, reinstate the state's abortion ban with exceptions for rape and incest within 12 weeks of gestational age and enshrine the state’s ban on transgender healthcare for minors in the state constitution.[7]
On June 24, 2022, following theSupreme Court's ruling inDobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization which overturnedRoe v. Wade, Missouri'strigger law banning abortion went into effect, which banned all abortions except to save the life of the pregnant person.[8][9] On March 8, 2024, the group Missourians for Constitutional Freedom submitted Amendment 3 to theMissouri Secretary of State. On May 3, 2024, they gathered 380,159 signatures to place the amendment on the ballot in November.[10] On August 13, 2024, the secretary of state's office announced 254,871 total valid signatures were submitted for the initiative. Sponsors of the measure hired Advanced Micro Targeting, eQual, MO Political Consulting and MOVE Action to collect signatures for the petition to qualify this measure for the ballot. A total of $4,037,757.84 was spent to collect the 171,592 valid signatures required to put this measure before voters, resulting in a total cost per required signature (CPRS) of $23.53.[11]
During its journey to the ballot, Amendment 3 faced several roadblocks. A bill to increase the threshold required to approve constitutional amendments, including Amendment 3, was narrowly rejected by theMissouri General Assembly.[12] Additionally, a lawsuit to remove Amendment 3 from the ballot was filed, but ultimately rejected by theSupreme Court of Missouri.[13] Lawsuits regarding fair ballot language, cost estimate of amendment, and post-certification removal from the ballot.[14]
Missouri Court Cases Related to2024 Missouri Constitutional Amendment 3:
-ACLU v. Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft[15]
-Fitz-James v. Bailey[16]
Official Ballot Title:
Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:
- establish a right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, with any governmental interference of that right presumed invalid;
- remove Missouri’s ban on abortion;
- allow regulation of reproductive health care to improve or maintain the health of the patient;
- require the government not to discriminate, in government programs, funding, and other activities, against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care; and
- allow abortion to be restricted or banned after Fetal Viability except to protect the life or health of the woman?
State governmental entities estimate no costs or savings, but unknown impact. Local governmental entities estimate costs of at least $51,000 annually in reduced tax revenues. Opponents estimate a potentially significant loss to state revenue.
Fair Ballot Language:
A“yes” vote establishes a constitutional right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, with any governmental interference of that right presumed invalid; removes Missouri's ban on abortion; allows regulation of reproductive health care to improve or maintain the health of the patient; requires the government not to discriminate, in government programs, funding, and other activities, against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care; and allows abortion to be restricted or banned after Fetal Viability except to protect the life or health of the woman.
A“no” vote will continue the statutory prohibition of abortion in Missouri.
When passed, this measure may reduce local taxes while the impact to state taxes is unknown.[17]
Notice: The proposed amendment revises Article I of the Constitution by adopting one new Section to be known as Article I, Section 36.
Be it resolved by the people of the state of Missouri that the Constitution be amended:
Section A. Article I of the Constitution is revised by adopting one new Section to be known as Article I, Section 36 to read as follows:
Section 36.
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size[a] | Margin of error | Yes | No | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remington Research Group[19][A] | October 2–3, 2024 | 753 (LV) | ± 3.2% | 46% | 33% | 21% |
| Emerson College[20] | September 12–13, 2024 | 850 (LV) | ± 3.3% | 58% | 30% | 12% |
| Saint Louis University/YouGov[21] | August 8–16, 2024 | 900 (LV) | ± 3.8% | 52% | 34% | 14% |
| Remington Research Group[22][A] | May 8–9, 2024 | 684 (LV) | ± 4.2% | 36% | 60% | 4% |
| Saint Louis University/YouGov[23] | February 14–26, 2024 | 899 (LV) | ± 3.7% | 44% | 37% | 19% |
| Remington Research Group[24][A] | March 28–29, 2023 | 1,102 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 29% | 37% | 34% |
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 Yes | 1,538,659 | 51.60 |
| No | 1,443,022 | 48.40 |
| Total votes | 2,981,681 | 100.00 |
| Source:Secretary of State of Missouri | ||
Despite losing the state, "No" won five of eight congressional districts, with "Yes" winning the remaining three, including one that elected a Republican.[25]
| District | Yes | No | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 78% | 22% | Cori Bush |
| 2nd | 57% | 43% | Ann Wagner |
| 3rd | 49% | 51% | Blaine Luetkemeyer |
| 4th | 44% | 56% | Mark Alford |
| 5th | 69% | 31% | Emanuel Cleaver |
| 6th | 46% | 54% | Sam Graves |
| 7th | 39% | 61% | Eric Burlison |
| 8th | 36% | 64% | Jason Smith |
Republican lawmakers of Missouri in May 2025 approved a future referendum (by November 2026 or sooner) on whether to repeal 2024 Missouri Amendment 3 and instead institute an abortion ban except in the cases of medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape or incest, with the abortions for rape and incest only to be legal within 12 weeks from the woman's last period, and only if the rape or incest are documented to have been reported to law enforcement.[26][27]
Partisan clients
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