Opponents of Missouri abortion amendment file lawsuit over financial impact statement.

Anti-Abortion Advocates⁢ File Lawsuit to Challenge Missouri State Auditor

A trio of passionate anti-abortion advocates in Missouri has taken legal action to challenge⁣ the state auditor in an effort to block a ballot initiative that aims​ to protect abortion rights.‌ This move comes as Missouri currently enforces‌ one of the strictest near-total abortion bans in the nation, with no exceptions for rape or incest, except in cases of extreme medical emergencies that threaten the life of the mother.

Proposed Amendment for 2024 Election Season

At the heart of the matter⁣ is‍ a proposed amendment for the 2024 election season, which seeks to secure a vote ‍on enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution. Additionally, ‍the amendment aims to provide explicit protections for contraception and in vitro fertilization. However, controversy has arisen ⁤due to Missouri law requiring a financial‌ impact statement of no more than 50 words to be included in a ballot ⁤initiative based on the auditor’s estimate.

Last month, the Missouri Supreme Court ⁤ruled in a complex⁣ case that Missouri​ Attorney ​General Andrew Bailey, a staunch opponent of abortion, improperly withheld his approval of the ballot initiative⁤ amendment ⁤based on the cost estimate provided by the state’s auditor, Scott Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick’s estimate ⁤suggests​ that Greene County, home of Springfield, would experience a loss of $51,000 in tax revenue, but overall, the⁤ proposal would have a neutral ‍financial impact.

Lawsuit⁣ Challenges the Extant Abortion Ban

On Monday, a lawsuit was filed by Republican state Rep. Hannah Kelly, Republican state Sen. Elizabeth Coleman, and anti-abortion advocate Kathy Forck from New Bloomfield. The ​plaintiffs argue that overriding the existing abortion ban would harm⁣ the state. They contest Fitzpatrick’s assessment that the measure would only affect one county out of Missouri’s 114. Additionally, they claim that abortion protections would jeopardize​ the state’s access to $12 billion‍ in annual Medicaid funding, according to estimates provided by anti-abortion groups to Fitzpatrick’s office.

The⁤ lawsuit asserts that the‌ auditor has a responsibility to inform⁢ constituents about the “certain ⁣and ⁢significant financial losses to‍ Missouri” that would‌ occur if a large number of future Missouri citizens, workers, creators, taxpayers,‍ and heads of families are ‌destroyed through abortion.

However, the financial consequences are not the plaintiffs’ sole concern. ‍They argue that the proposed amendments would result in the destruction of thousands of pre-born Missouri citizens ⁢each year, with profound consequences that extend beyond financial matters. They emphasize that the state auditor is ​legally obligated to‍ calculate the financial costs to Missouri resulting from this significant loss of human life‌ as part of the initiative petition process.

Support and Opposition

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a staunch supporter of ⁢state constitutional amendments⁣ to protect abortion rights, ⁤has expressed its support for the amendment in Missouri. The organization ⁤has vowed to continue fighting for the bodily integrity and autonomy of all Missourians through various avenues, including‍ the courts, state legislature, ballot measures, and grassroots activism.

The‌ exact language​ of the amendment has yet to be finalized, but supporters will need to gather approximately 170,000 signatures to secure its place on the 2024⁣ ballot.

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