Abortion is on the ballot in Missouri again. Here's what to know about Amendment 3

Key Points:

• Missouri voters will decide on November 3 whether to pass Amendment 3, which would overturn the 2024 constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights and impose strict abortion restrictions with exceptions only for medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape, or incest (up to 12 weeks for the latter two).
• The proposed amendment also seeks to ban gender-affirming care for minors permanently, including puberty blockers and hormone treatments, although surgeries for minors are already banned under state law.
• Since the 2022 Supreme Court overturning of Roe v. Wade and Missouri's subsequent trigger ban, many residents have traveled out of state for abortion care, and telehealth medication abortions from out-of-state providers have increased significantly.
• Supporters of the new amendment argue it aligns better with Missouri voters' values and protects women and children, while opponents accuse politicians of undermining the will of the people and using deceptive tactics to restrict abortion access again.
• The outcome in Missouri is being closely watched nationwide as other states also have abortion-related measures on the November ballot, with advocates warning that Missouri's legislative actions could influence similar efforts elsewhere.