Missouri abortion law leads to court battle over referendums

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – A Missouri law banning most abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy has led to a legal battle over the state’s referendum process that has gone all the way to the state Supreme Court.

Judges heard arguments Wednesday on whether the people’s right to overturn laws passed by the Legislature has been illegally limited by procedural hurdles.

Opponents of the abortion law said they ran out of time to turn in petition signatures to force a statewide vote in 2019 because of delays in certifying the ballot title.

A Cole County judge ruled last year that those laws regulating the referendum process were unconstitutional.

The state appealed.