Yeehaw, folks! The Missouri Supreme Court just laid down the law, and it’s a real showdown! They ruled against the state attorney general’s stance on an abortion ballot initiative, giving the green light to a movement aiming to restore abortion rights in the Show-Me State.
You see, the attorney general, Andrew Bailey, a Republican who ain’t too keen on abortion, had put the brakes on approving the ballot initiative. He was lockin’ horns with the state auditor, also a Republican, over the cost of making this constitutional change. The delay put the brakes on the proponents’ plan to collect signatures for next year’s election.
But hold your horses! The court wasn’t having any of that. They said Bailey had no good reason to stonewall this initiative. They slapped him with a unanimous decision, declaring he’d shirked his duty by not greenlightin’ the initiative sooner.
Now, the spotlight’s on Bailey again. He’s gotta swallow his pride and approve the auditor’s fiscal assessment within 24 hours, by 1 p.m. on July 21. If he does that, the amendment can move forward, partner!
This ain’t just any ol’ amendment, mind you. This one’s lookin’ to carve out the right to decide about abortion, birth control, childbirth, and all things pregnancy-related, smack dab in the state’s Constitution.
Missouri’s got one tough cookie of an abortion ban, I’ll tell ya that much! Nearly all cases are banned, no matter if it’s an emergency or not, and there ain’t no exceptions for rape or incest.
But don’t you worry, folks! When it comes to ballot measures, voters in conservative states have often shown their support for abortion rights. They’re fixin’ to give their say on this one too!
You see, the proposal needed to go through the hoops, and it landed on the desk of the state’s auditor, Scott Fitzpatrick. He came up with an estimated cost of $51,000 a year in reduced tax revenues if this amendment goes through.
But Bailey, oh boy, he ain’t seein’ eye to eye with Fitzpatrick. He’s claimin’ that this proposal would cost taxpayers a whopping “upward of $12 billion,” all ’cause of fewer births and losin’ Medicaid funding. Talk about a difference of opinion!
Thankfully, the Missouri Supreme Court settled that squabble and set things straight. Bailey’s only got the authority to review the legal content and form of the auditor’s reports, not the substance. So, there you have it, the court’s the sheriff in town!
But don’t hang up your hats yet, ’cause there are lawsuits a-brewin’! The A.C.L.U. of Missouri’s taken aim at the secretary of state’s proposed ballot wording, claimin’ it’s mighty misleading.
Now, it’s a race against time and the sun’s fixin’ to set on this whole deal. Over 100,000 signatures from voters are needed to get this amendment on the Missouri ballot next fall. Better saddle up and get ’em in by early May!
So there you have it, folks – a real-life drama with all the twists and turns of a wild west rodeo. Keep your eyes peeled, ’cause this ain’t over yet!
