Missouri 2026 SB 951 and HB 1682
Overview
Missouri 2026 SB 951
Filed by Missouri State Sen. Mike Moon
Missouri 2026 HB 1682
Filed by Missouri State Rep. Burt Whaley
Legislative updates:
Provides Equal Protection to Preborn Children
If we truly believe that a fetus is a person made in the image of God, then to be consistent with the Constitution and God’s Word, the laws which protect human beings who are born must equally protect those who are not yet born.
“No state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws” (U.S. Constitution, 14th Amendment).
“That all constitutional government is intended to promote the general welfare of the people; that all persons have a natural right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and the enjoyment of the gains of their own industry; that all persons are created equal and are entitled to equal rights and opportunity under the law” (Missouri Constitution, Article I, § 2).
“There are inconsistencies between Fourteenth Amendment status and the typical abortion statute. If the fetus is a person, why is the woman not a principal or an accomplice? If the fetus is a person, may the penalties be different?” Supreme Court of the United States. Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113, 157-58 n. 54 (1973).
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (The Golden Rule, Matthew 7:12).
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).
“You shall not be partial in judgment” (Deuteronomy 1:17).
FAQs
Can Missouri abolish abortion even though Amendment 3 enshrined the “right to reproductive freedom” into the state constitution in 2024?
In 2024, Amendment 3 was approved by Missouri voters. This amendment to the Missouri Constitution says that the state government “shall not deny or infringe upon a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” including through abortion, contraception, and fertility measures.[1]
Though voters approved Amendment 3, the provision is null and void because it contradicts the U.S. Constitution, which says in the Fourteenth Amendment that no state may deny to any person the equal protection of the laws.[2]
Most importantly, the amendment contradicts the law of God, which makes clear that we shall not murder. The command not to murder includes all people created in the image of God, including those who have not yet been born.[3]
Passing an abolition bill that explicitly applies the equal protection of the laws to preborn babies in Missouri would enable a legal challenge against the current abortion language in the Missouri Constitution.
NOTES:
Missouri Constitution, Article I, § 36
U.S. Const. 14th Amendment, § 1
Foundation to Abolish Abortion, “Biblical Principles on Equal Protection.”
Missouri: Overall Abortion Numbers are Rising
Missouri babies are still being aborted on a horrific scale. Based on conservative projections, over 13,812 Missouri preborn babies were legally murdered in 2024 as allowed by current Missouri law.[1] Over 11,840 occurred out of state,[2] while another 1,971 Missouri mothers legally performed DIY at-home abortions using the abortion pill.[3]
NOTES:
Missouri Revised Statute § 188.017 and 188.030
Maddow-Zimet I, Philbin J, DoCampo I and Jones RK, Monthly Abortion Provision Study, updated November 18, 2025, https://osf.io/k4x7t/
Society of Family Planning. #WeCount Report April 2022 through June 2025. December 9, 2025, https://societyfp.org/wecount-report-9-december-2024-data/, https://doi.org/10.46621/725961gzsnai. The telehealth numbers in this chart are adjusted down from #WeCount totals to account for studies that indicate only 88% of mail order abortion pills are actually taken to complete an abortion. See the Babies Unprotected report for additional sources.
Does the bill criminalize women?
No. The bill criminalizes the act of knowingly and willfully causing the death of a preborn child.
To deter such conduct and to provide equal protection of the laws, the bill does prohibit everyone, including pregnant mothers, from engaging in the unlawful act of prenatal homicide.
Once the bill is passed and becomes effective, the justice system would determine on a case-by-case basis whether any report of suspected prenatal homicide would be investigated and prosecuted and for what charge, and whether anyone would be convicted and sentenced. This justice system includes:
Law enforcement
Prosecutors
Grand juries
Trial juries
Judges
Multiple appellate courts
Governor
All defendants would have the right to an attorney, the right to remain silent, and all other constitutionally required due process. The state would bear the burden of proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Finally, before any sentence could be imposed upon any defendant, the people participating in that justice system process would be required to be in nearly unanimous agreement that the process and outcome were just.
Could anyone who has been involved with an abortion in the past be prosecuted?
The bill explicitly prohibits retroactive enforcement, as do the Missouri Constitution and the U.S. Constitution.
Could the bill punish women who have had miscarriages?
No. The bill explicitly provides that it would not apply to accidental or natural deaths (i.e. spontaneous miscarriages).
Could a mother forced into an abortion be convicted?
No. A mother forced into an abortion by duress (i.e. while threatened with imminent death or serious bodily injury) is not subject to criminal liability. Instead, the bill would allow for prosecution of the person who forced or pressured her.
Would the bill allow doctors to deal with life-threatening medical emergencies like ectopic pregnancies?
Yes. The bill explicitly allows for that.