JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — As Missouri abortion rights groups mount a campaign to overturn the state’s abortion ban, Republican lawmakers are weighing legislation that would enshrine the ban in the state constitution.

A constitutional amendment, filed by Rep. Justin Sparks, a Wildwood Republican, would add the language from the strict abortion ban to the state constitution, an attempt to block the abortion rights campaign or future efforts to legalize abortion.

It would also prohibit lawmakers from adding exceptions to the ban, such as for rape and incest, unless approved by voters through future amendments to the constitution.

If passed by both chambers of the General Assembly, the legislation would be placed in front of voters in November or at an earlier election if called by Gov. Mike Parson, an anti-abortion Republican. An identical measure was voted out of a Senate committee earlier this month.

The Republican-led effort could result in two competing statewide votes on abortion this year: A vote to overturn the ban and a vote to enshrine the ban. Whichever measure receives the most votes would supersede the other.

“What we’re talking about is abortion — the voluntary termination of a unique human life that, left otherwise alone, would grow into a(n) adult human being,” Sparks said during a hearing over his legislation late Tuesday evening. “I would like to give the voters a chance to clearly and directly voice their opinion.”

The push comes as a coalition of abortion rights groups called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom is seeking to place on the ballot a constitutional amendment that would overturn the ban. The coalition has raised more than $4 million and supporters are gathering signatures across the state.

Maggie Olivia, the senior policy manager for Abortion Action Missouri, which is part of the abortion rights coalition, criticized the legislation in a statement, saying that “out-of-touch politicians want to try to add their cruelty to the state constitution.”

While people may have complex opinions on abortion, Olivia said that members of all parties agree that decisions about pregnancy, including miscarriage management, abortion and fertility care should be left between patients and their doctors.

“If these anti-abortion, anti-democracy politicians continue to blatantly ignore the will of the people and make a further mockery of Missouri’s political process on a national stage – they will have harsh consequences to face come November,” Olivia said.

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