KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can send Charlie an email at charlie.keegan@kshb.com.
———
Protestors gathered outside the Missouri Capitol Thursday, showing their displeasure with actions legislators took on abortion rights and minimum wage.
On Wednesday, the State Senate passed two measures. One calls for a new vote on abortion rights. The other repeals parts of a minimum wage and paid sick leave proposal voters approved, pending the governor’s signature.
“People are distraught and furious. They’re outraged,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes.
Her organization put Amendment 3 on the November 2024 ballot. It passed with about 52% of the vote.
The resolution lawmakers passed puts a new question about abortion on a future ballot. It will ask voters to ban abortion again, except for cases of rape, incest and medical emergency within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
“That is the overwhelming message to Missourians right now: your voices don’t matter, we think we know better than you do about your constitution, your rights, about your medical care,” Wales said.
Legislators backed their decision by saying this gives voters a chance to rein back some provisions from Amendment 3.
“I feel very comfortable knowing that whatever happens, it will reflect the voice of the people,” said House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Republican from Lee’s Summit.
Changing a constitutional amendment requires a statewide vote. Lawmakers can only change statutes on their own.
Proposition A passed with about 58% of the vote in November. The statute increased the minimum wage and guaranteed that employees could earn paid sick leave.
Wednesday, lawmakers passed a measure ending the paid sick leave component and eliminating a yearly increase to minimum wage in connection with inflation.
“The minimum wage is in place, but the sick leave, which I contend is very damaging to businesses, that's been repealed,” Patterson said in an end-of-session press conference.
“I’ve never felt more insulted," Terrence Wise, a low-wage worker and leader with the Missouri Workers Center, said in a statement. “At the 11th hour of the session, corporations have weaponized our legislature against us by gutting the paid sick leave law entirely.”
Matt Harris is an associate professor of political science at Park University in Parkville.
He said Missouri has a reputation for lawmakers and voters disagreeing on issues. Voters expanded Medicaid in 2020, but Missouri lawmakers waited until the State Supreme Court reviewed it to fund the expansion.
In 2018, voters passed “Clean Missouri” ethics reforms. When lawmakers forced another vote on the amendment in 2020, voters reversed the original decision.
In 2017, lawmakers passed right-to-work legislation. Voters repealed it in 2018.
Harris said he believes voters will continue to pick Republicans for the legislature because of immigration, public safety, and tax cut issues, and will handle social issues through statewide votes.
“I don’t think there’s a risk of Missouri becoming a blue state,” Harris said.
—
