JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Lawmakers heard legislation Tuesday to reverse what voters approved in November as GOP members are trying to make abortion illegal in the state again.

Missouri was the first state to ban abortion following the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. Then, in November, voters approved Amendment 3, lifting the ban. Since then, Republicans have said they will use this legislative session to push back against the referendum, this time by taking the question back to voters.

“This is not politicians making decisions for you, your doctor and your healthcare,” Rep. Jamie Gragg, R-Ozark, said. “This is actually letting you guys make that decision again.”

On Tuesday, a long-debated political issue took center stage in the state capitol.

“They presented false information to people who voted for Amendment 3,” Susan Klein, Missouri Right to Life, told the committee.

“The opposition is going to say voters didn’t understand what they voted for but we believe that Missourians are smarter than that; they knew exactly what they were voting for,” executive director for Abortion Action Missouri Mallory Schwarz said.

For hours, lawmakers heard testimony about legislation that would case voters if abortion should be allowed in cases of rape, incest or medical emergencies. In those cases, law enforcement would have to sign off on the rape or incest report and then abortion would only be legal for up to 12 weeks.

“Twelve weeks is simply not grace or empathy for survivors,” House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, said. “I would argue that under Amendment 3, which was passed by the voters, we do give much more grace to survivors by allowing them the time and the space to understand what’s happening physically and emotionally.”

Rep. Melanie Stinnett, R-Springfield, is sponsoring the legislation, House Joint Resolution 54.

“I think when we have concerns, it is our job as state representatives to, as we’re having today, a discussion and consider changes that modify, clarify the language,” Stinnett said.

Back in November, Amendment 3 won with nearly 52% approval. Even though the state’s abortion ban was overturned, the procedure still isn’t being offered inside Planned Parenthood clinics, as both sides await a judge’s ruling to overturn the ban.

“Millions of Missourians made it clear by a statewide vote that we support access to crucial reproductive care,” Collins Chetwin said in opposition to the bill. “Your job is to uphold the will of the people and defend our rights but instead you are attacking and eroding our bodily autonomy.”

Last month, House Speaker Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, said he didn’t think a complete repeal of the referendum would be possible.

“I think we’re all trying to come up with a plan, as I’ve said, that makes Missouri the most pro-life state it can be,” Patterson said in January. “It’s hard because we want to make it as pro-life as possible but I don’t think the voters would pass a repeal, so we have to find something that’s in between.”

Patterson stated that he established a working group to determine the specifics of the plan, acknowledging the challenges ahead and anticipating a debate on the initiative later in the session.

“Whatever we do has to go back to the voters,” Patterson said.

This legislation also includes a provision prohibiting public funds from being used to pay for surgeries, hormones or drugs for transgender minors.

“Unfortunately, I think this is just the beginning; I don’t think this is the last attack we will see this session on Amendment 3, the right to reproductive freedom. I think we will see more creative and different attacks, but the bottom line: they are unconstitutional under the right that we voted for and enshrined in the Missouri Constitution and the people of Missouri will continue to show up to prove that,” Schwarz said.

The committee did not take any action on the legislation Tuesday.