Missouri voters affirmed Amendment 3, but stances continue to differ

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Nearly 30 days after Missourians across the state voted to affirm reproductive rights into the state’s constitution the issue still seems to be up for debate.

In a hearing Wednesday, December 4, pro-abortion groups stood toe to toe with the state attorney general's office as both sides tried to interrupt what voters decided on election night.

First up in the hearing, the state challenged Jean Peters Baker's stance. The state AG’s Office wants to move this to Cole County, Missouri.

Then, they got to the arguments that are central to the case.

Those arguments started with the planned parenthood attorney, who was clear about what they believed Amendment Three stands for and what must happen.

The judge must rule in a way that Missourians with the preliminary injunction that, in fact, abortions are now legal starting this Friday, December 6. 

“We functionally saw the same things happen throughout the coalition fight to get on the ballot and then of course to win it," said President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Great Plains, Emily Wales.

"The state is trying to delay, distract and ultimately deny Missourians from accessing abortion care, but Missourians have been heard, they were loud, they were clear."

But the Solicitor General made several arguments throughout his hour-long presentation, claiming that planned parenthood ignores facts. 

“Under the amendment that passed in early November, there is an affirmative right to childbirth and planned parenthood is ignoring half of that amendment,” Josh Divine, Missouri’s Solicitor General, said.

Divine said that it is all about the right to childbirth and this move is about revenue instead of what the voters decided on that this is about reproductive rights.