ST. LOUIS — Time is running out for a decision on an abortion rights amendment. The Missouri Supreme Court will decide Tuesday if the measure can be removed from the November ballot.
The issue centers on the wording of Amendment 3. A Cole County judge argues it doesn’t meet state requirements because it doesn’t mention existing law or what would be repealed if passed. The amendment would overturn the state’s abortion ban and legalize abortion up until fetal viability.
The Associated Press reports that Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh on Friday stopped short of removing the proposal from November’s ballot. Instead, he gave the campaign a chance to appeal before a Tuesday deadline to make changes to the Missouri ballot. The abortion-rights campaign says it will appeal.
Missouri outlaws almost all abortions. The proposed constitutional amendment would guarantee the right to abortion until fetal viability. Abortion opponents sued, arguing that the campaign didn’t spell out the host of abortion laws the amendment likely would undo.
