Healthcare (Women's Health)

HJR 109 proposes amending Missouri's state constitution to define "person" as including all human beings from conception, explicitly stating this includes "every in utero human child at every stage of biological development." It repeals the current Section 2 of Article I and replaces it with language affirming a natural right to life, while adding that the constitution "secures or protects a right to abortion" or requires abortion funding. The amendment would be submitted to Missouri voters in 2026, with an official ballot question asking if the constitution should "protect each human life with a unique DNA code regardless of age." The bill notes this change is expected to have "no fiscal impact."

HB 2313 prohibits using fetal organs or tissue obtained from elective abortions for medical, research, therapeutic, or any other purpose. It bans offering money or incentives to women to conceive or abort specifically to harvest fetal tissue, though it allows payments for burial, medical exams, or pathological examinations of fetal remains. The bill directly affects medical researchers, hospitals, and clinics that might have used such tissue, applying only to patient-choice abortions - not medically necessary procedures. It does not restrict other uses of fetal tissue or impact abortion access generally.

HB 1682 defines "person" to include "an unborn child at every stage of development from the moment of fertilization until birth," treating abortion as criminal homicide under existing murder laws. It prohibits abortion except in limited medical emergencies where a licensed physician performs a procedure to save the pregnant person’s life when all alternatives failed. The bill removes defenses like "duress" for abortion-related offenses (except for the mother in specific cases) and allows prosecution in multiple counties based on where the offense occurred or the victim resided. This would directly affect individuals seeking or providing abortions, medical providers, and law enforcement in Missouri.

HB 2160 adds mifepristone (a medication used in medical abortions) to Missouri's Schedule I controlled substances, placing it under the most restrictive drug classification. The bill also creates a new criminal offense for "coerced criminal abortion by means of fraud," which would penalize individuals who fraudulently induce an abortion. These changes directly affect healthcare providers, patients seeking abortion care, and individuals accused of coercive abortion practices. The law modifies Missouri's controlled substances scheduling framework and introduces a specific criminal penalty related to abortion procedures. (Note: The bill text lists mifepristone under Schedule I, not Schedule IV as stated in the title.)

HB 2419 requires physicians prescribing abortion-inducing drugs to be physically present during all doses and perform an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy stage before administration. It mandates that doctors inform patients about "abortion reversal" options and provide contact information for the H3HELPLINE counseling resource. The bill also requires physicians to have a complication plan approved by health authorities for certain drugs with known high surgical intervention rates, unless the patient is in a hospital emergency. These provisions directly affect medical providers who prescribe medication abortion and patients seeking such care in the state.