Missouri Becomes First State To Ban Abortion As Supreme Court Strikes Down Roe v. Wade

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, released Friday morning, has overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that had asserted a woman’s right to an abortion for decades. Friday's SCOTUS decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization leaves to individual states the decision about legalizing abortion, and in Missouri, that decision was made three years ago: it’s illegal.

A bill passed by the Missouri legislature in 2019, HB 126, known as the "Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act" contained a trigger-law that would outlaw abortion in the state if Roe were ever overturned. (The law does still allow for an abortion to save the life of the mother — typically this would be in the case of an ectopic pregnancy, which is not considered to be a viable pregnancy.)

So, Friday morning, Missouri's Attorney General Eric Schmitt signed an opinion after the SCOTUS decision was released, making Missouri the first state to outlaw abortion.

Schmitt called it "a monumental day for the sanctity of life."

🚨 BREAKING 🚨 Following the SCOTUS ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Missouri has just become the first in the country to effectively end abortion with our AG opinion signed moments ago. This is a monumental day for the sanctity of life. pic.twitter.com/Jphy72R4rq
— Attorney General Eric Schmitt (@AGEricSchmitt) June 24, 2022

Schmitt's full opinion can be read below.

Neighboring Illinois does not have any such trigger law, and so abortion is still legal in that state, along with 36 others that did not have trigger laws similar to Missouri's. Of the 13 states that had such laws, those are set to take effect within 30 days. In a handful of others, the decision could land in state courts due to recent legal wrangling over abortion in those states.

A Washington Post analysis says 18 states are likely to keep abortion legal, including Illinois. In eight others the Post considers the future of abortion "unknown."

Nadine Kelsay, Development Director for the pro-life Pregnancy Help Center at Lake of the Ozarks, said she was “excited and grateful for this ruling.” She added she was also grateful that “in Missouri we have some great legislation in place to make abortion illegal in our state, with the exception of a mother’s life being in danger [an ectopic pregnancy].”

The Pregnancy Help Center serves women in the Lake of the Ozarks area, and Kelsay says she expects more women will be coming through their doors now that abortion is illegal and those women feel desperate. “The Pregnancy Center is even more important now, because of all of the fear that’s going to come from feeling even more trapped now, because they literally can’t get an abortion,” she said. “So we want to make sure that they know that we walk alongside them in those decisions and that we discuss all of those decisions with them, and we do not try and force them into any decision, because that doesn’t help.”

“We need to stay really vigilant because we know there are people who won’t be grateful for this.” She is requesting people “pray for our safety and the safety of the women coming into our center, that they won’t be swayed by fear.”

Kelsay spoke directly for women in that situation: “I would say, as cliche as it sounds, we love you. We do. That’s why we have fought so hard for this. It’s not to take away your rights, it’s to give you life… we want to make sure that you know when you come through our doors, you are loved, your unborn baby is loved, and the rest of your family is loved. We show you that love by talking to you about what changes you might go through in your body, what you can expect. We show it by providing for needs you might have, like diapers and formula. By being on call 24/7 if you need us. And by just listening to you. By letting you cry on our shoulder, be upset if you need to be upset. We truly care about you as much as your unborn child. And that’s why we want you to come to our center so that you know that love and you know the love of the Father who created us in the first place and gave you that life growing inside of you.”

She added, “I would also say, you do have options. If you can’t keep that child, we have wonderful families waiting to adopt that child. You will be taken care of, your child will have been taken care of, and you will have produced life!”

The Pregnancy Help Center is holding a 5K Run/Walk For Life fundraiser in Lake Ozark on Oct. 1. Click here for more details and to sign up.

To learn more about the Pregnancy Help Center or reach the 24/7 pregnancy hotline, visit pregnancyhelpcenters.org or call (573) 346-3337.

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