The REACH Healthcare Foundation opposes the passage of Missouri Amendment 3, which will appear on the ballot November 3, 2026.
The REACH Healthcare Foundation was established to help all people in our communities achieve equitable health outcomes. The Foundation’s focus on health care coverage and access, and reducing health disparities across our service area, has included significant investments in maternal, prenatal and reproductive care, and education.
The Foundation’s leadership opposes public policies that limit or negatively impact health equity, including limiting access to medical treatment and procedures for any population group. There is ample evidence that infringements upon reproductive health decisions between patients and their medical providers result in exacerbating significant health disparities and poorer health outcomes for populations that are already marginalized. REACH did not support the Missouri law that went into effect in June 2022 that banned abortion with few exceptions and limited consideration for a childbearing person’s life, health, condition, or circumstance, and we similarly oppose this proposed amendment which repeals the protections for abortion passed by statewide majority vote in 2024.
This year’s proposed Amendment 3 would repeal Missourians’ statewide vote in 2024 to protect women seeking abortion and, instead, will effectively ban access to this important, and often life-saving reproductive service in Missouri once more. Additionally, Amendment 3 includes clearly misleading language about banning transgender medical procedures for minors – something which is already illegal under Missouri law.
The REACH Healthcare Foundation holds firm to its longstanding guiding principle that access to quality health care is a fundamental human right. Abortion rights and reproductive health, albeit complex and emotionally charged subjects, are no exception. Whether by choice or necessity, it is critical that any individual faced with time-critical decisions about their health has access to the care they need without state-sanctioned interference or delay. The ability of people to make personal health decisions, in collaboration with their own health care providers, without fear of reprisal and unnecessary intrusion by the state is also essential to their mental health, autonomy, and well-being.
Voters should not be deterred by the Missouri legislature’s latest attempt to undermine the will of the people by forcing another statewide initiative. The people have spoken. Missourians living in rural areas with few or no health care specialists, or those with unforeseen life and health conditions, deserve to receive timely, high-quality, expert reproductive guidance and assistance without interference and unnecessary confusion. The passage of Amendment 3 would undermine providers and harm Missourians who need to access reproductive health care.
The REACH Foundation urges Missouri voters to VOTE NO on Amendment 3 to preserve reproductive rights already enshrined in the state’s constitution.
