COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Abortion services are set to resume in Missouri following a recent court ruling that blocked several regulations restricting access to abortion providers. This ruling comes in light of voters approving an amendment that guarantees abortion rights in the state's constitution.
The ruling from Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang was issued on Friday. It follows a previous decision from a Kansas City judge last year, who declared abortions to be legal in Missouri but allowed certain restrictions to remain while an ongoing lawsuit by abortion-rights advocates unfolded. In particular, these regulations mandated that abortion facilities obtain licenses from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, which Planned Parenthood contended included “medically unnecessary and invasive” pelvic exams, even for medication abortions. Furthermore, the licensing rules imposed stringent requirements for the structural dimensions of the facilities, which plaintiffs argued were so demanding that most health centers could not comply.
Judge Zhang characterized the licensing requirements as “facially discriminatory,” noting that they did not treat abortion services equitably compared to other health care services, such as maternity care or miscarriage management. This ruling is significant as it signals a potential shift in how abortion services are regulated in the state following the constitutional amendment approved by voters in November 2024, aimed at safeguarding reproductive rights.
Following the amendment, which did not outright legalize abortion but required a reevaluation of existing laws that severely restricted it, Planned Parenthood and other advocates immediately took legal action against Missouri's near-total abortion ban. Missouri's Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey is actively contesting this lawsuit. As of now, there has been no immediate response from his office regarding the latest ruling.
Planned Parenthood's President and CEO, Margot Riphagen, stated that the organization is moving swiftly to resume abortion services in the coming days, emphasizing that the state’s previous licensing requirements served as politically motivated barriers rather than true patient safety concerns. This decision is expected to enhance access to abortion care for women in Missouri and the broader Midwest region.
Missouri is among five states where voters enacted measures in 2024 to protect abortion rights within their state constitutions. Another state, Nevada, also passed an amendment related to this issue but will require a second approval in 2026 for the measure to be enacted. The recent ruling serves as a temporary order while the lawsuit by abortion-rights proponents continues to advance through the courts.
Additionally, Mallory Schwarz, the executive director of Abortion Action Missouri, indicated that clinic partners are ready to start providing abortions as early as next week. She noted that this development will transform access to abortion care for residents in Missouri, marking a significant change in the region's healthcare landscape.
The constitutional amendment in Missouri permits lawmakers to impose restrictions on abortion procedures after viability, which is defined as the point at which a fetus may survive outside the uterus. Although the exact timing can fluctuate, medical professionals generally refer to the period following the 21st week of pregnancy when discussing viability. Following the June 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that dismantled the federal right to abortion established by Roe v. Wade, Missouri quickly implemented stringent restrictions, making the current ruling a notable shift in the legal battles surrounding the issue.
