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Judge under tight deadline to rule on Missouri abortion amendment’s place on ballot
A lawsuit attempting to knock a reproductive-rights amendment off the November ballot could hinge on whether it would immediately repeal Missouri’s current near-total ban on abortion, an issue disputed during a two-hour-long hearing Friday. Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh said at the completion of Friday’s hearing that he intends to rule quickly because the […]
Judge calls Ashcroft’s characterization of abortion amendment ‘unfair’ and ‘misleading’
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has been ordered to remove his characterization of an abortion rights amendment from his government website after a judge deemed it was unfair and violated state statute. A Cole County judge on Thursday ruled that Ashcroft’s “fair ballot language” summary of the reproductive rights amendment, also known as Amendment […]
Missouri judge hears arguments challenging ‘fair ballot language’ for abortion amendment
A judge could decide as early as Thursday whether Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s “fair ballot language” summary for an abortion-rights amendment is truly fair. Missouri voters will be asked on Nov. 5 whether they support Amendment 3, which would establish a constitutional right to an abortion up until fetal viability and protect other […]
Abortion-rights proponents sue Missouri secretary of state over fair ballot language
Organizers behind an abortion-rights amendment that will appear on Missouri’s November ballot filed a lawsuit last week alleging the “fair ballot language” written by the secretary of state’s office is “intentionally argumentative” and bound to create confusion for voters. Amendment 3 asks voters if they want to legalize abortion up until the point of fetal […]
Missouri voters will decide whether to legalize abortion in November
Abortion will be on Missouri’s statewide ballot in November. An initiative petition to enshrine the right to abortion up until the point of fetal viability received final approval Tuesday, securing a place on the general election ballot. If the measure receives a majority of votes, Missouri could become the first state to overturn an abortion […]
Andrew Bailey defeats Will Scharf to capture GOP nomination for attorney general
COLUMBIA — Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey survived a tough primary challenge from a member of former president Donald Trump’s legal team on Tuesday to win the GOP nomination for a full term in office. His opponent, Will Scharf, conceded the race shortly before 8:30 p.m. with Bailey leading 62% to 37%. Bailey soon addressed […]
Missouri woman sues University of Kansas hospital that denied her an emergency abortion
Two years ago, Mylissa Farmer was denied an emergency abortion at hospitals in Missouri and Kansas while experiencing a miscarriage. On Tuesday, she filed a lawsuit against one of the hospitals — The University of Kansas Health System — accusing the hospital of sex discrimination and saying it violated a federal law meant to ensure doctors […]
Missouri among worst states for women’s overall health, reproductive care, study finds
Missouri women have more limited access to health care and worse outcomes than any other state in the Midwest, a new study of the nation’s health care system found. Missouri ranks 40th out of 51 states plus the District of Columbia on the 2024 state scorecard on women’s health and reproductive care, published by the […]
TV ads hit the airwaves as GOP secretary of state hopefuls try to stand out from crowded field
Two of the eight Republican candidates for Missouri Secretary of State launched TV campaign ads this week, hoping to break away from the pack in the final two weeks before the Aug. 6 primary. Jamie Corley, a longtime Republican political operative from St. Louis, was first on the air, launching ads in three markets on […]
Abortion, minimum wage campaigns remain on track for fall ballot, early reports indicate
Citizen-led ballot measures to enshrine abortion rights in the Missouri constitution and mandate paid sick leave and an increased minimum wage remain on track to make November’s ballot, with records from Missouri election authorities showing each campaign has turned in more than enough valid signatures as the verification process continues. Whether the two proposals — […]
Andrew Bailey says his approach as Missouri Attorney General is shaped by faith, war
Andrew Bailey was 16 years old and vice president of his high school Republican club when asked by a reporter if he supported the death penalty. “I do have a serious problem with the taking of a human life,” he told the Columbia Daily Tribune in 1997 for a story about the law, which remains […]
Missouri AG ‘weighing legal options’ after judge orders him to sit for deposition
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey does not believe it was improper to meet with a Jackson County official as his office sues the county, he told The Independent Thursday. Bailey’s comments came after a judge ordered him to sit for a deposition about the meeting, which may have violated legal ethics rules. In an interview, […]