, Columnist
Leaving Abortion Rights to the States Isn't Working
Missouri voted to overturn its state ban. That won’t magically reopen clinics or protect women from federal restrictions.
Restoring access won’t be easy.
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When Missouri voters codified abortion rights in the state’s constitution last week, it was a bright spot in an otherwise dark week for reproductive freedom. The result promises to reconfigure the abortion access map in the US at a critical time.
And while advocates for women’s health should celebrate the win, the uncertainty about what happens next in Missouri underscores a bitter truth: Without protection in the US Constitution, reproductive rights in any state are precarious.