Missouri's Dangerous Embryo Personhood Proposal: An Assault on Freedom, Medicine, and Democracy

The Legislative Context

Missouri State Senator Mike Moon has introduced a constitutional amendment that would radically redefine personhood under state law, defining “person” as “every human being with a unique DNA code regardless of age, including every in utero human child at every stage of biological development from the moment of conception until birth.” This proposal represents one of the most extreme anti-abortion measures in the United States, coming just months after Missouri voters overturned the state’s near-total abortion ban in November 2024 through a ballot measure that protected abortion access up to fetal viability.

The legislation, sponsored for the second consecutive year by Senator Moon, would effectively create a total abortion ban without exceptions for rape or incest survivors. Most alarmingly, it would potentially expose patients, doctors, and anyone assisting with abortion procedures to murder charges under Missouri law, which allows for the death penalty in murder convictions. The proposal emerges amid an ongoing debate within anti-abortion circles about what exceptions might be justifiable, with even mainstream anti-abortion groups declining to testify in support of this extreme measure.

The Hearing and Testimony

During Monday’s Senate Emerging Issues and Professional Registration Committee hearing, more than twenty people testified in support of the legislation, many traveling from across Missouri to condemn abortion in any form. Testimony included religious justifications, personal stories, and even musical performances. Wes Groggins, executive director of Abolish Abortion Missouri, invoked Old Testament scripture to argue that anyone involved in abortion should face murder charges, stating “God demands equal justice, equal protection for all persons.”

Notable supporters included Hannah Strege, who identified herself as the first frozen embryo adopted in the United States, and her parents who have advocated against abortion and embryonic stem cell research for decades. Sarah Hanks, a mother of ten who underwent embryo adoption, also testified about valuing life through the process. However, the hearing also revealed significant concerns about the proposal’s potential impact on in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments, with Democratic senators Tracy McCreery and Patty Lewis raising alarms about how the personhood definition could threaten fertility treatments in Missouri, similar to the crisis that occurred in Alabama when embryos were declared children.

The Political Landscape

Senator Moon acknowledged the political divisions surrounding this issue, noting “We are certainly at a political divide… It appears we are also at a scientific divide and also a spiritual divide.” This proposal comes as Missouri Republicans continue efforts to roll back reproductive freedoms despite voters’ clear preference for protecting abortion access. The legislature has already approved another proposed amendment for the November ballot that would reinstate an abortion ban but with exceptions for rape, incest, and medical emergencies while also enshrining bans on gender-affirming care for minors.

Moon’s legislation faces significant political hurdles, but it represents a broader strategy among some anti-abortion advocates to push increasingly extreme measures. As Moon himself questioned the committee: “How can we make that claim if we haven’t taken all the steps we can possibly take to make that happen?” This rhetoric demonstrates the absolutist position driving this dangerous proposal.

The Threat to Constitutional Principles

This proposed amendment represents a fundamental assault on constitutional principles and individual liberties. By attempting to redefine personhood in the state constitution, lawmakers are seeking to impose a specific religious worldview on all Missouri citizens, violating the essential separation of church and state that has protected religious freedom in America for centuries. The invocation of biblical justification by supporters like Wes Groggins demonstrates that this is not about science or medicine but about forcing particular religious beliefs into law.

As someone who deeply values the US Constitution and Bill of Rights, I find this approach particularly alarming. The First Amendment protects citizens from government establishment of religion, yet here we have lawmakers openly using religious texts to justify legislation that would affect all Missourians regardless of their faith traditions. This is not how democracy functions - this is how theocracies are born.

The Medical and Scientific Implications

The proposal’s impact extends far beyond abortion access to threaten essential medical treatments like IVF. As Senator McCreery correctly noted, defining embryos as persons could create legal chaos similar to what occurred in Alabama, where IVF treatments temporarily halted because clinics feared liability for handling embryos. This would devastate families struggling with infertility and undermine medical progress.

Furthermore, the legislation completely disregards established medical science. Major medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, recognize that embryo development is a complex biological process that doesn’t equate to personhood. By ignoring medical expertise in favor of ideological positions, this proposal would endanger women’s health and force doctors to practice medicine based on politics rather than science.

The Democratic Crisis

Most fundamentally, this proposal represents a crisis for democracy itself. Missouri voters clearly expressed their will on reproductive rights just fifteen months ago, yet lawmakers are pushing legislation that directly contradicts the people’s decision. This disregard for democratic outcomes threatens the very foundation of representative government. When elected officials ignore the clearly expressed will of their constituents to pursue extreme ideological agendas, they undermine the social contract that binds our democracy together.

The fact that even mainstream anti-abortion groups won’t support this legislation speaks volumes about its extremism. When the most committed activists on an issue consider a proposal too radical, lawmakers should pause and reconsider their approach. Instead, Senator Moon and his supporters are charging ahead with a proposal that would effectively nullify the democratic process and impose minority views on the entire state.

The Human Cost

We cannot discuss this proposal without acknowledging the devastating human cost it would inflict. Eliminating rape and incest exceptions is particularly cruel, forcing survivors of violent trauma to carry pregnancies against their will. The psychological and physical harm this would cause is immeasurable and represents a form of state-sanctioned violence against vulnerable women.

Additionally, subjecting women and doctors to murder charges for abortion procedures is an outrageous overreach of state power that would destroy lives and families. The threat of capital punishment for healthcare decisions is something we might expect in authoritarian regimes, not in a constitutional democracy that values life and liberty.

The Path Forward

As defenders of democracy and constitutional principles, we must vigorously oppose this dangerous legislation. Missourians must make their voices heard through their elected representatives, through public testimony, and ultimately at the ballot box. Medical professionals, religious leaders, and community advocates should unite against this threat to healthcare and freedom.

We must also support organizations like Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action, whose representative Doug Mann testified against this legislation, arguing that it “does not follow the science, nor does it follow medical standards, and it’s going to cause a lot of issues outside of just abortion.”

The fight against this extreme proposal is about more than abortion rights - it’s about preserving democracy, protecting religious freedom, upholding medical science, and defending the constitutional principles that make America free. We cannot allow minority ideological views to override the will of the people and threaten essential freedoms. Missouri deserves better than this dangerous assault on liberty, and Americans everywhere must stand against this threat to our fundamental values.