There is nothing that ticks the Republican-dominated Missouri Legislature off more than when a constitutional initiative, brought to the ballot by the citizens of Missouri, wins the majority vote on election day.
Amendment 3, passed by the voters in November, restored reproductive rights in Missouri. The best efforts of opponents to link Amendment 3 to underage gender transition failed. Nowhere in the amendment can anything be construed to include gender transition. Amendment 3 invalidated Missouri’s abortion ban, period. ("Lawmakers should hear from public as they scheme to roll back abortion rights," April 15.)
The Legislature wasted no time in the 2025 legislative session to once again try to override the results of an election. House Joint Resolution No. 73, which has passed the House and is now advancing through the Senate, would put abortion rights back on the ballot. Not only does the resolution attempt to repeal Amendment 3, it also includes a permanent ban on gender transition surgeries, hormone and drug treatments for children under the age of 18 — which is already illegal in Missouri.
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Reproductive rights and gender transition have nothing to do with each other. To attempt to combine these two issues on the ballot is a blatant attempt to manipulate the voters.
The citizens of Missouri do not need a do-over vote on Amendment 3. It was approved by the majority, and it is law. It is not the duty of the Legislature to attempt the repeal of Amendment 3 because they disagree with the electoral outcome. Their duty is to honor the outcome of the vote as law.
Maureen Albrecht
Lake Saint Louis
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