FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSECOMMITTEESUBSTITUTENO.2FOR
HOUSEJOINT
RESOLUTION NO.54
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
1890H.03C JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
JOINTRESOLUTION
SubmittingtothequalifiedvotersofMissourianamendmenttoArticleIoftheConstitution
ofMissouri,byadoptingonenewsectionrelatingtoreproductivehealthcare.
BeitresolvedbytheHouseofRepresentatives,theSenateconcurringtherein:
ThatatthenextgeneralelectiontobeheldinthestateofMissouri,onTuesdaynext
2followingthefirstMondayinNovember,2026,orataspecialelectiontobecalledbythe
3governorforthatpurpose,thereisherebysubmittedtothequalifiedvotersofthisstate,for
4adoptionorrejection,thefollowingamendmenttoArticleIoftheConstitutionofthestateof
5Missouri:
SectionA.ArticleI,ConstitutionofMissouri,isamendedbyadoptingonenew
2section,tobeknownasSection37,toreadasfollows:
Section37.1.ThisSectionshallbeknownas"TheAmendmenttoProtect
2WomenReceivingReproductiveHealthCare".
3 2.NotwithstandinganyprovisionofthisConstitutionoranyotherlawtothe
4contrary,itshallbeillegalinthisstatetoprovidereproductivehealthcare,oranyother
5healthcarerelatingthereto,toaminorchildwithoutthepriornotificationand
6informedconsentofthechild'sparentorguardian,exceptinthecaseofmedical
7emergency.
8 3.ForthepurposesofthisConstitutionandthelawsofthestateofMissouri,
9"reproductivehealthcare"and"mattersrelatingtoreproductivehealthcare"shall
10meanhealthcarerelatingtoawoman'spotentialoractualpregnancy,whichshall
11consistofprenatalcare,childbirth,perinatalandpostpartumcare,contraception,
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 12abortion,careformiscarriagesandectopicpregnancies,andrespectfulbirthing
13conditions.
14 4.NotwithstandinganyprovisionofthisConstitutionoranyotherlawtothe
15contrary:
16 (1)Thehealth,safety,andwelfareofwomenundergoingprenatalcare,
17childbirth,perinatalandpostpartumcare,contraception,abortion,andcarefor
18miscarriagesandectopicpregnancies,andthehealth,safety,andwelfareofwomenin
19theconditionofgivingbirth,arelegitimateandcompellinggovernmentalinterests;
20 (2)Anylawregulating,safeguarding,orsecuringthehealth,safety,orwelfareof
21womenseekingorreceivingreproductivehealthcareatanytimebefore,during,orafter
22anactualorpotentialpregnancy,includinglawsregulatingtheprovisionof
23reproductivehealthcare,shallbevalidandenforceableinallcasesandshallbe
24unenforceableonlyifanaggrievedplaintiffprovesthatthelawisnotrationallyrelated
25toalegitimategovernmentalinterest.Inenactingorenforcingsuchlaws,the
26governmentshallnotberequiredtoequallyaddressallpotentialsubjectsor
27classificationsofindividualsorconductsolongasthegovernment'sdecisionhasa
28rationalbasis;and
29 (3)Womenreceivingreproductivehealthcarewhosufferinjuryorincur
30damagesarisingfromnegligence,breachofcontractualorotherduties,malpractice,
31violationofstandardsofcare,professionalorothermisconduct,orintentionalor
32criminalconductbyreproductivehealthcareprovidersorbyanypersonactingin
33concertwithsuchprovidersshallreceivenolessprotectionunderMissourilawthan
34thosereceivingothertypesofhealthcare;thecourtsofthisstateshallbenolessopento
35claimsbywomenagainstreproductivehealthcareprovidersforsuchmisconductthan
36tothosereceivingothertypesofhealthcare;andreproductivehealthcareproviders
37whocommitsuchmisconductshallbesubjecttothesameinvestigation,prosecution,
38adverseaction,andpenaltiesasanyotherproviderofhealthcare.
39 5.NothinginthisConstitutionshallbeinterpretedtorequirepublicorprivate
40fundingofanymatterrelatingtoreproductivehealthcare.
41 6.Anyactionchallengingthevalidityofanystatelawrelatingtoreproductive
42healthcareshallbebroughtintheCircuitCourtofColeCounty,Missouri.Ifsuch
43actiondrawingintoquestiontheconstitutionalityofastatestatutedoesnotincludethe
44state,oneofitsagencies,oroneofitsofficersoremployeesinanofficialcapacity,the
45partybringingtheactionshallfileanoticeofconstitutionalquestionandserveitonthe
46attorneygeneralandtheattorneygeneralshallhavetherighttointerveneinthe
47litigation.TheMissouriSupremeCourtshallhaveexclusiveappellatejurisdiction.
48 7.ForpurposesofthisSection:
HCS#2HJR54 2 49 (1)"Government"is:
50 (a)ThestateofMissouri;or
51 (b)Anymunicipality,city,town,village,township,district,authority,public
52subdivisionorpubliccorporationhavingthepowertotaxorregulate,oranyportionof
53twoormoresuchentitieswithinthestateofMissouri;
54 (2)"Law",includesanyordinance,act,law,rule,regulation,order,orprovision
55thatabodyofthegovernmenthastheauthoritytoenact.
56 8.IfanyprovisionofthisSectionoritsapplicationtoanypersonor
57circumstanceisheldinvalid,suchdeterminationshallnotaffecttheprovisionsor
58applicationsofthisSection,whichmaybegiveneffectwithouttheinvalidprovisionor
59application,andtothatendtheprovisionsofthisSectionareseverable.
SectionB.Pursuanttochapter116,andotherapplicableconstitutionalprovisionsand
2lawsofthisstateallowingthegeneralassemblytoadoptballotlanguageforthesubmissionof
3thisjointresolutiontothevotersofthisstate,theofficialsummarystatementofthis
4resolutionshallbeasfollows:
5 "ShallMissouri'sconstitutionbeamendedto:
6 •Guaranteeparents'rightstoconsenttotheirchildren'sreproductivehealthcare;
7 •Define"reproductivehealthcare"ascarerelatingtoawoman'spregnancy,including
8prenatalcare,ectopicpregnancy,miscarriage,andbirth;
9 •Protectlawssafeguardingthehealthandsafetyofwomenreceivingreproductive
10healthcare,includingmalpracticelaws?".
✔
HCS#2HJR54 3