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A Republican-led campaign to restore abortion rights in Missouri ended Thursday, clearing the path for a competing, more sweeping constitutional amendment to get on the state’s November ballot. “Having two initiatives on the ballot would create confusion and potentially split the vote,” Missouri Women and Family Research Fund Executive Director Jamie Corley said in a statement. “No one wants that, so we have decided to suspend our campaign to amend Missouri’s abortion law.” (Ballentine, 2/8)

Across the country, 67 cities and seven counties have passed so-called "sanctuary cities for the unborn" ordinances — local laws that seek to ban abortions in the area. The means vary by community, with some blocking the shipment of drugs used to perform an abortion and others making it punishable to perform or aid in an abortion on their residents. ... The Lone Star State has been the testing ground for conservative efforts to scale back abortion access nationwide. (Kuchar, 2/9)

In the months since Texas outlawed abortion and prohibited adolescents from receiving gender-transition care, women have flooded abortion clinics in nearby states and parents with transgender children have moved to places where puberty blockers and hormone therapy remain legal. So now, Texas conservatives are testing the limits of their power beyond state lines. (Klibanoff and Melhado, 2/9)

A Texas man who drugged his wife’s drinks in an unsuccessful attempt to induce an abortion was sentenced on Wednesday to 180 days in jail and 10 years of probation, the Harris County district clerk’s office said. The man, Mason Herring, 39, of Houston, pleaded guilty to injury of a child and assault of a pregnant person as part of a plea agreement, according to the clerk’s office. Mr. Herring had initially faced the more serious charge of assault to induce abortion. (Jimenez, 2/8)

Two Florida Democrats are launching a long-shot effort to convince the Republican-led Legislature to put into state law a guaranteed right to access contraception. The move comes amid increasing restrictions on abortions in Republican-led states. (Brown, 2/8)