Missouri Supreme Court Deals Blow To Abortion Rights Ballot Opponents
Opponents of ballot initiatives to legalize abortion in the state had been pressing cases over the ballot summaries and costs, but the state's Supreme Court declined to take up the cases Monday. Meanwhile, a new survey shows that abortion rights support is at near record national levels — but remains highly polarized, politically.
St. Louis Public Radio:
Missouri Abortion Rights Backers Win Ballot Language Cases
The Missouri Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up cases regarding the ballot summaries and costs for initiative petitions that would legalize abortion in the state. The decision from the state’s high court is a victory for abortion rights proponents, who were banking on a favorable ballot summary before deciding on which initiative petition to circulate over the next few months. (Rosenbaum, 11/20)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Missouri Supreme Court Rejects Ashcroft’s Attempt To Appeal Abortion Ballot Language Fight
The Missouri Supreme Court late Monday handed a loss to Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft in a fight over the ballot summary of a possible abortion rights initiative petition in 2024. After the Cole County Circuit Court and the Missouri Court of Appeals at Kansas City scrapped ballot summaries Ashcroft proposed for six abortion initiative petitions, the elections chief appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court to take the case. But the Missouri Supreme Court late Monday rejected transfer of the case in question, keeping the lower court ruling intact. (Suntrup, 11/20)
In a new national survey —
The Wall Street Journal:
Support For Abortion Access Is Near Record, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds
New results from a Wall Street Journal-NORC poll show Americans’ support for abortion access is at one of the highest levels on record since nonpartisan researchers began tracking it in the 1970s. Some 55% of respondents say it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion if she wants it for any reason. (Wernau, 11/20)
The Hill:
Near-Record 55 Percent Support Abortion Rights: Survey
Only one-third of Republicans said that they backed access to abortion for any reason, according to the Journal. However, the poll found widespread support for access to abortion in the cases of rape, incest and the health of the woman. Eighty-six percent of respondents said they supported access to abortion in instances of rape or incest, and 89 percent support it when a woman’s health is endangered by the pregnancy, the Journal reported. (Sforza, 11/20)
From the states —
The Hill:
Texas Bill Aims To Block Wave Of Local Abortion Travel Bans
A Texas state senator is seeking to block a wave of local anti-abortion measures — in particular, a rising number of bans that seek to bar women seeking an out-of-state procedure from traveling through specific counties. State Sen. Nate Johnson (D) introduced a bill that would prohibit such bans Monday on the heels of a Republican-led push to subordinate local authority to the state Legislature on a wide range of local issues. (Elbein, 11/20)
Axios:
What's Next For Ohio Abortion Law After Passage Of Issue 1
Ohio's largest abortion services provider and anti-abortion rights lawmakers are turning their attention to what's next after the recent passage of Issue 1. While voters approved the constitutional amendment by a 13% margin, the Nov. 7 vote may not be the final word on legalization. (Buchanan and Smith, 11/20)
