A judge in Missouri has blocked regulations that had restricted abortion providers, allowing abortions to resume in the state. These regulations required facilities to be licensed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, with requirements that were deemed invasive and unnecessary by Planned Parenthood and other advocates. The judge ruled that these regulations were discriminatory and did not treat abortion facilities the same as other types of health care providers.
The ruling comes after voters approved adding abortion rights to the state constitution in November. Planned Parenthood and other advocates sued to overturn Missouri’s near-total abortion ban, with Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey fighting the lawsuit.
Missouri is one of five states where voters approved ballot measures in 2024 to enshrine abortion rights in their constitutions. The ruling is a temporary order pending the outcome of the lawsuit by abortion-rights advocates, and clinics are preparing to start providing abortions as soon as next week.
The Missouri constitutional amendment allows lawmakers to restrict abortion after viability, with exceptions to protect the life or health of the pregnant person. Viability is generally considered to be after the 21st week of pregnancy. Missouri was among the first states to implement restrictions on abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision in June 2022.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
